Transcending the Locus
by LoLGoau
Summary: While looking over restricted artifacts, Xerath is greeted by a newcomer to the League named Syndra. Intrigued by one another, they begin talking and he takes her in as a student of sorts. In addition to teaching the woman, he also makes it his goal to help her become a League Champion. But, who is the real teacher? I do not own nor work for Riot or their games. Xerath & Syndra
1. Chapter 1: An Interesting Judgement

_Warning: This fanfic will contain blood, violence, some gore, and language in later chapters, but not so much lemon-related aside from descriptions of clothing. Also, special thanks to TheLost for pointing out an error in one of my lines. I went to check and, sure enough, Fizz does have support from Bilgewater. It's been fixed now, but the review was removed. Very sorry._

The Institution of War and its plaything, the League of Legends, was becoming more or an annoyance than originally thought. The summoners, as they called themselves, were among the largest thorns he had earn had the displeasure of bearing. Were it not for the nexuses, which they seemed to care little for, his time, as invaluable as it was, would not be wasted wearing the metaphorical chains of slavery to such petty mages. The fools had no idea the pyramids of power they held. Worse than they, however, were the two cities who also held access to the nexuses.

Yet, here he was, the mage who had risked his life and that of his people, to purse the greatest calling of his fellow magi: Research. He remembered all to well how it happened. Through his research, his mortal body had been racked and nearly broken. Power was what he had sought, and power was what he had earned with the price of his body. Near what normally would have been his end, he had found a way to give up what was left of his frail, weak, and otherwise useless body for one that would grant him nearly unlimited power, the body to contain such power, and, with it, immortality.

He had found a ritual to transcend his body and mind to one of pure arcane magic. Without hesitation, he began to follow it.

Chaos was what the ritual ultimately required. It was a price he paid without a second thought.

The earth shook with fear as the skies roared with fury. Bolts of both lightning and magic, mixing together into a yet more destructive form, whipped the land, scarring it for centuries to come. Whatever the lightning struck was vaporized in a violent crash, only a burn upon the crusty dirt or cracked stone remained. Anything near it, what was not killed instantly, was horribly burned or caught fire. Too close, and things became glass.

An outline of red was all that marked the grave of an animal or person.

Ripples and surges of power, from where the lightning hit water, sent devastating tidal waves crashing into whatever was in their path. Trees, growing along small lakes, were up-rooted by merciless waves from five to ten, something more, deeper waters. Whatever lived under the water was cooked instantly by the shear heat of power.

From the mage's point, all was going well.

His flesh was painfully burned from his muscles. His muscles were peeled, ripped, from his bones in a bloody mess, each and every drop of his life blood evaporating as soon as it touched the crackling air. His bones were broken into pieces, crushed into dust, and swept up into the whirlpool of arcane. His organs, what remained of his body, were ripped apart, the contents spilling out.

He was only fuel for the ritual. In exchange for his body, his mind would live on in another. In exchange for what he wrought, he would live etenerally to continue his research.

It was as if the world was ending.

Finally, as quickly as it had come, the violence, the lightning, the earthquakes, stopped. All around, there were bodies of men, women, children, and animals. Dead, wounded, dying, and blackened stains where life once stood were among the destroyed or crumbling buildings. What structures were spared did not provide true safety for the ones within. Even they were at least hurt, some killed by the shock waves alone.

At the center of it all, stood the one who had caused it all. From the time it started, in mortal, human flesh of a dying body. From the time the chaos had started, his being pulled apart as an offering to the magic ritual. From the deadly silence that followed, his life forever changed with the new body he had bought for himself with years of study and research, unbelievable pain to himself and those around him, and a determination no man had ever held.

Xerath, the mage, stood. His body, looking much like living, blue and white lightning, hovered in place, the point of where his feet should be inches from the stone ground. Amazingly, his violet robes were undamaged, aside from the years of use before.

There he stood, looking over his new body with glowing white eyes and blue pupils. His hands looked more like claws, four points crackled with power whenever he flexed them, the space between cooking the air itself. What was his new legs was separated by a very small slit, yet his feet were points, both hovering off the ground. His whole body, his new, immortal body, crackled with power.

It was unlike anything he had ever imaged.

He had, at long last, become one with his life's passion: magic. He was not a being of magic, with flesh and blood and life. He was, down to his very essence, pure magic given a mind of its own. At his finger tips, he held nearly unlimited power.

However, his victory was short-lived. Days later, he was taught a lesson by his previous teachers: You reap what you sow.

His careless disregard for his actions had caused his fellow mages to see him as a threat. Together, and after a great struggle, they defeated him. He was entombed within a prison that had returned to haunt him. Within his stone tomb, he realized his robe, the threads fused with the magic that was now his life, was imbued with the stone of his sarcophagus. He was trapped, unable to break the enchantments placed to keep him in.

As time went on, days turning to weeks, and, eventually centuries, time had proved to be his ally. The enchantments had weakened, his body and time breaking it down little by little. When he finally picked away at the wall, seeing a stream of light, he unleashed himself at that one spot.

An explosion was the result. Through shear force, his power avalanche across the invisible confines of his prison, he tore apart most of what held him back. Most, was not good enough. The core, a layer of defense beyond the enchantments and his robe, a second layer in case he did escape, bound the outer layer of his sarcophagus to his magical body.

Unlike before, he was bound to this new prison, but he was free to move. He was also free to use his magic, a portion of it anyway, to what he could use. Try as he might, there was no way for him to pick this lock. At least, not without another source of powerful magic to bind it to.

The nexus, an object of pure magical power, akin and much like his body, could be substituted for his magic. If only he could get a few, he could trick the core and bind it to a nexus, freeing himself completely. However, the summonors, the keepers of the nexuses, would not allow him to use them.

If need be, he would wait. Time was, after all, his ally. Those who had imprisoned him were long dead, their descendents driven from the land and not even the same people he once knew. Immortality was still his, yet there was still so much for him to learn and power yet untapped within him.

"My, my. Aren't you a magnificent being." A voice came, waking him from his private thoughts.

Power surged through him, waking him from his slightly dormant state that had become his sleeping, and his eyes meant a new face.

It was a woman, yet no normal woman. Her long, silver hair stretched down to her waist, yet some of it floated in the air. Her attire, black and purple, was of Ionian design. A helmet, almost a crown, rested on her head. Two eyes, purple and full of power, peeked out from that crown, meeting his own white and blue eyes, showed off intelligence and lust he had seen only in his own reflection. She wore a smile with dark red lipstick on her lips, the top front of her pure white teeth, like small fangs, visible. His eyes traveled downward, taking in her full attire, before going back up to her face. Her feet were no the ground.

"I take you are the Magus Ascendant, Xerath." She said, her voice was young, in her early twenties by his estimate, sent a shiver up his spine. Fully awake, he could sense the power that emanated from her body. "My name is Syndra. I am also known as the Dark Sovereign." She introduced herself.

To be so close to him, without fear of what he was and to speak like a student to her teacher, this woman, Syndra, had gained his interest. What surprised him more was where the two of them were.

Xerath had entered the Institution's restricted areas, where they held objects of powerful. Since the events of the Crystal Scar, his services had been requested to examine items, either for his expertise or that he could touch otherwise deadly objects. Through these services, he had gained an amount of trust among the summoners, allowing him privileges others were not allowed. She was clearly new, another champion but still new.

"I am. Might I inquire your reason for being here?" He asked. He was unconcerned with how she got in, even he had to use several tricks to get in at this time. Clearly, she either strong enough or smart enough to get in.

Syndra, as she said her name was, looked him up and down before she began circling him. As she did, his head turned to follow her, much like an owl's, but, unlike an owl's, his neck could turn indefinitely. She was unfazed by this though, as she continued her silent examination of him.

When she had floated and seen his entire body, and now floated in front of him once more, her smile had widened. "I came here because I sensed something of unbelievable power. I never would have guessed it would be you." She answered. Slowly, her eyes came up to his. "You are far more intriguing than I would have ever thought." She added.

There was a click. Both their heads turning to the sound.

Xerath, moving forward, placed his hand on her shoulder, urging her to follow him. She did not question his actions, but went with him willingly. They went around a corner, hiding from view. "Stay quiet." He warned, his voice crackling with the threat. She nodded, the smile still on her face. She did not show any fear. He was beginning to like this woman.

The sound turned into voices. "Do the sight wards normally expire this early? I thought they should have lasted longer." A man, old by the sound of it, said. Thumps followed by footsteps, echoed from the hall and into the room.

"I do not know. The summoners are always making improvements to their security. Sadly, sometimes there are errors. Once, all the wards exploded, leaving ash, soot, and small holes in the walls. It was a busy week for us." Came another, younger voice.

Peeking out, he saw it was two of the guards, more no doubt arriving by the minute. The older one held in his left hand a cane, the younger one held a flashlight. Xerath did not need lights, a simple change in his magic could make him as bright as the sun, but, right now, he was a dull glow.

He looked back to the Syndra woman, she was watching him with interest. He silently gestured for her to turn around. When she did, he pushed her forward. Both could float, so there was no need to worry of them making noise, save for the crackles of his body.

A light move over the corner they just were, then along the wall. "Like always, it's clear. I'm going to hit the lights." The younger one said. There was a reply from the older one, then both their footsteps sounding.

Xerath and Syndra hid behind the corner, now making their way to the door. Casting his hand out toward the younger one, he tripped the guard with chain of arcane magic. Before he began to fall, he withdrew the chain, then raced toward the guard as he fell. Syndra, silently, was shocked by his speed, able to clear the several yard distance before she could turn her head. Grabbing the man, Xerath's hand over the guard's mouth to keep him quiet, he cast stood the guard up, a glazed look in the man's eyes as the mage returned to Syndra.

She was about to speak, but he put a finger over her opened mouth. Without her doing, her mouth closed, a tingling sensation on her lips. It felt like she bit down on an electric cord, she even felt something like waves traveling from the tops of her teeth to the bottoms, down her throat. It felt thrilling, but, at the same time, frightening. Even when he removed his finger, the effects lingered for several seconds.

He urged her forward again, and she complied once the effect ended.

Along the way out, there were no more guards. Xerath had taken the lead and found it odd. There should be more. There should have been more than two in that other room. Where were the other guards?

It was not until they were close to the public areas that he saw why. Outside, there was a giant, floating step-pyramid of Ionian design. The guards, most of them anyway, were keeping the public, staff, and League champions away. He looked to Syndra, his eyes wide with disbelief. She smiled at the look before going toward the guards.

"That's my home. I did not know where to leave it, so I just left it there." She called out.

Every eye turned to her. By the angle, no one would have seen her leaving the restricted area, never him. By the look, they would have only been passing it.

One of the guards were about to speak to her when a summoner came forward. "There you are... Syndra, was it?" The summoner asked. She nodded. "Come. We are ready to give you audience. This will decide if you will be a champion of the League of not. Are you prepared?" The summoner asked, unmoved by the large, floating building several meters from and above the public.

"I am prepared. Lead the way." She requested.

Xerath "stood" there, surprised. She was not a champion? Only now, was she being considered for the position? And that pyramid was her home? This woman, who had found him in the most restricted area of the Institution and said she had come just because of his presence, could make something so big float? She was merely a child, yet her abilities were this advanced. The Magus Ascendent, in all his years, both as mortal studying and immortal learning to use his new body from his prison, was in awe at the woman he had just meant.

He began moving again, an inner smile in his mind. For once, he was interested in hearing a judgement. Normally, even though champions could attend and cast their vote, he never did. Champions of Demacia, Noxus, Bilgewater, Piltover, and other cities or states supported their own, of course. Ones who did not belong to one, such as Jax, among others, had no powers to support them. This one, Syndra, he would hear her judgement and pass his own. One thing was clear: he would not deny her entry. If anything, he would say nothing.


	2. Chapter 2: Power Overwhelming!

_Ask and you will receive! Here is chapter 2 of my Xerath and Syndra fanfiction. And for those wondering, yes, I believe Xerath to be akin to a god in the lore._

At the Judgement, Xerath listened with interest as Syndra answered the questions the summoners asked her. What he and the others heard were basic information of her life. Where she lived, what people she belonged to, her parents and teachers, and her reason for wanting to be a champion of the League. He could not help but sympathize with her when he heard her leaders had tried to suppress her powers. No remorse was felt for the old mage who was killed. To him, it was wrong to keep such a protege as her from becoming what she was destined to be.

However, this was not enough for him. Instead, it was her last words that: Power belongs to those who can wield it.

His vote was that she join the League of Legends.

As the champions, summoners, and officials began to leave, Xerath remained in his place. He stood there, watching her as both of them waited to hear the decision of those who led the Institution of War. Her judges were having difficulties, so they dismissed her for a time. As they called it "giving her a recess," to sugar coat it.

Despite her obvious displeasure, Syndra complied, leaving the room to await her next summon. Xerath, however, did not like the looks of this. Before he could do anything else, he was summoned by name to the Reflection Hall.

In a flash of blinding, blue and white light, he struck the ground from his place, the physical confines of his body whacking against the floor, yet no damage was done. "Yes, Summoners?" He asked, doing nothing to hide his distaste.

"This is the first time you've passed a vote for a champion candidate. As it stands, Syndra will not become a champion with her lack of control and self-restraint." The lead summoner informed.

Xerath was shocked to hear this. "What? There have been tens of others who you have showed no desire at all to control their powers, yet they have past." He said.

The summoner regarded him with a calm and leveled tone from the cowl of his hood. "The Champions of Ionia were called upon to vote for her, and all of them voted against her. That's seven against, and two for." He said.

Seven against and two for? He took a moment to tally the votes in his head. The three members of the Kinkou, the Wuju swordsman, the living blade woman, the celestial healer, the fallen guardian, and the shadow ninja were the ones he had seen, leaving himself as the nine. One of them had voted for her, but the others against.

As he thought, the summoner spoke again. "We are, however, prepared to overlook these and put her on a trial week, until we know if she can be trusted to not doom us all." Though he was mostly silent, the mage thought it strange the three summoners were silent for a long moment. "Ordinary, she would not be given such a privilege, but, with your guidance, as you may very well be what she desires to become, the others may change their opinions of her." The summoner finished.

It clicked then what they were truly asking of him. "You are afraid of her..." He stated blankly, his head slowly turning up to look at the three. They did not respond. "You do not want her powers to rampage unchecked, and so have chosen to ask me to be her keeper?" He demanded, fists clutched to his sides. Again, they did not respond.

"ANSWER ME!" He demanded again, his rage fueling his magic and causing lightning to lash out of his body, burning the stone of the floor.

Wisely, they finally answered. "Yes. While that is not the way we would have put it, that is what we intend. You did, centuries ago, cause untold damage to your home with a complete disregard to the safety of your own people. We fear that, left alone, Syndra will do the same. In truth, we want her in the League so we may keep track of her, but cannot with the votes against her." He said.

The two other summoners requested their speaker's attention. After a minute of discussion, he spoke again to Xerath. "Xerath. I am asking this as a favor on behalf of the Institution of War: Will you become Syndra's mentor and teach her some control?" The summoner's tone was sincere, if not pleading.

Xerath calmed himself, the magic of his body cooling with his emotions. He was silent for several seconds. Although he held interest with this one, Syndra, he was unsure of being a teacher to her. She seemed too much like himself, yet he knew the truth, not what they believed, she would attempt.

"I will, not as a Champion of the League but as a mage myself, offer my knowledge to her. However, she must be willing to learn." He finally said.

The summoners appeared to relax, letting out heavy sighs. Discussions and terms were next on the menu to be discussed, but, to Xerath, he was looking forward to this endeavor.

The only true limitation was that he could not teach her any dangerous spells, such as the one that caused him to gain his body, among others. All and all, he was surprised with the limitations and how much he was allowed to do with her. Basically, for lack of better wording, he just could not kill her.

Of course, he had to put a few of his own limitations and conditions. Summoners, other champions, and etc. could not watch him while he and Syndra were together, her floating home would be left alone, Demacia and Noxus would be informed of the two being together in case they need to get supplies, and, for his own amusement, both he and Syndra would be given permission to enter the Institutions vaults of magical items.

The summoners, given the alternatives, allowed all of them with little debate.  
_

Nearly an hour later, she returned to the hall. "That was a rather long recess. Have the three of you reached a verdict?" Syndra, floating inches from the ground, dark orbs circling her, asked into the darkness.

Instead of one of the summoners, Xerath answered. "It is good to see again. I believe we have not been properly introduced." He said.

Oddly enough, she was not surprised as he moved into the light. Instead, she greeted him with a smile. "It is an honor to meet you again as well." She said.

She looked around, a questioning frown on her face. "They are not here." He said. Her eyes turned to him. "I have been asked to act as your teacher and instructor in the arts and help you learn control." He said.

Before she could protest, he ignited himself, lighting the room in a chaotic display of mastery. Not only light filled the room, but sounds of sizzling and heating air and wind whipping all around. Lightning of blue and white struck the ground, walls, and ceiling. At the center of it, Xerath's form fought against the stone core of his former prison, sparks flying off it and crackling to the floor.

After only a few seconds, the display ended. The ground and walls were blackened, a small fire burned where once sat a chair and table, and the ground around Xerath appeared to have melted somewhat. "I have no intention of teaching you control, but helping your powers grow and you grow with them!" He said.

Syndra, amazed, stood silent a moment, then slowly turned her head to him. "You want to teach me?" She asked.

"Not want, was asked to and am duty bound as another mage. However, you must accept me as your instructor. I will promise, should you accept, that I will not hold your hand. You will be worked hard, tested, and brought to your limits many times." He explained, making a fist at the end of his speech. "The one thing I will not do is bind your power. That is your own, not mine nor anyone else's to do anything with, power to use." He added.

It was almost too much for her to believe. Once again, people were trying to control her, saying she lacked control over what was rightfully hers. Then again, the one they had assigned to her was more than willing to not restrain her, encouraging her in fact. Maybe, perhaps, she could give this one a try. At worse, she would leave and return when she was strong.

Finally, she smiled a dark smile, one that went well with her Ionia-style clothing, the colors, her crown, and a beautiful attention to the dark red lipstick she wore. "I would be honored to learn from one such as you, Magus Xerath. First, I will warn you, and you alone." She began.

In her own display of power, her dark orbs circled around her body, moving at her mental command and arm gestures. With a grunt, she flung her arms downward, each orb crashing to the ground, a small crater left in each. She then brought up five, each connected with to one of the fingers of her left hand by a black and purple tether.

"If I am restrained again, my power kept from me, I will show no mercy to those responsible. Even if they only follow orders, the mere fact they carried them out will be enough to condemn them." She warned, her tone like venom. She clinched her fist, forcing the five orbs together. The resulting effect caused a void to appear above her, one threatening to consume everything within the room.

Then, it was gone.

He looked to her eyes. Had he his human body, he'd have to remind himself to breath. Her glare alone could stop a dragon's rampage.

Inwardly, he smiled. "I cannot vouch for others, but I meant what I said. Should you chose to leave, but wish to remain my student. I will go with you." He said.  
_

Outside, Xerath and Syndra made their way back to her home. He was already instructing her in arcane magics and how they were used in ways she had never dreamed of. Alternatively, she informed him of spells she was able to do, by her own learning alone, and how her orbs worked. Ahri, it seemed, was a novice when it came to the use of hers. Compared to Syndra, she was a child with a ball against an adult with a ball and chain.

"By the way, what did you do to that guard earlier?" Syndra asked.

Xerath considered for a moment, then grabbed one of the novice summoners as they passed. The young man struggled until the mage put his hand over the youths mouth. A moment later, his eyes glazed over. Xerath stood the summoner up, fixing his position. "Notice the eyes." He began. "This, is arcane immobilization. The Summoners refer to it as a "stun', but that is far to simple." He said.

The mage adjusted the youth again, bending him forward. "When he awakens, usually ten seconds later, he has no memory of ten seconds before. I, effectively, shut down the mind's ability to retain memory for twenty, or more, seconds." He said, then stood back as the young summoner became active again.

Without staying to chat, Xerath gestured for Syndra and him to move along. "Marvelous. I do not suppose you could teach me that trick?" She asked.

"It would be a pleasure, but first comes the League and what the Institution wishes. While I do not share their views on restraint, it would be easier to teach you here, where I can freely connect to sources of magical power." He explained.

Though pouting, Syndra accepted this term. "When do we start?" She asked, almost gleeful.

Xerath paused. All of a sudden, he turned to her. His feet planted himself firmly into the ground, then four chains shot out of his body, further anchoring him to the ground. He held his arms to his sides, an arc of magic stretching from one to the other over his head and shoulders. His voice crackled with power. "Now! Show me the extend of what you can do!" He demanded.

Outside, in a field she did not know, Syndra smiled, dark orbs surrounding her. "You, are already better than my last master... Teacher." She said.

Little did she know that he had led her to the Summoner's Rift, and ideal place to begin training and teaching her. Due to his confines, his immortality was limited, and so his power could be disrupted, equal to him dying. Likewise, he could impact his powers onto her, sundering her very body and only killing her temporary.

Here, with the League's permission and the Summoners and champions forbidden to interfere, the two of them could clash without restraint. The ritual that had gained him this body would be a drizzle compared to the tempest about to be unleashed.


	3. Chapter 3: Pain for Power

_Warning: there is some blood in this one._

Lightning scarred the ground, water boiled from the intensive heat, trees and brush burned as the flames consumed them, and the ground was littered with craters. Xerath and Syndra, unleashing their powers against one another, had only been fighting for ten minutes, yet neither showed a hint of tiring.

Xerath had to unchain himself from the ground whenever she moved out of his range, allowing her to strike with her orbs. Whenever she did, he knocked them aside, with great effort, and they crashed into the ground. The craters were a combined effect of him deflecting them and she sending them at him. While his spells were harming her, none were direct hits. She was escaping with burns and singes. To him, she was doing far better than he had expected.

Syndra, using her orbs to grant herself vision of him while maintaining a safe distance, was forced to rethink her strategy again. She had intended to overwhelm him through force, but she had quickly found out that was impossible. When he was rooted to the ground, he was able to override her control and dispel her orbs, turning them into weapons of his own that he used to fire at her and explode; most of the fires were from that. When he was free to move, as she was finding out, he could simply move them aside with a grunt of great effort. There was no telling how difficult this was for him, but she would not stop to ask him. She did not know if he was really trying to kill her or simply testing her.

She had discovered a small enclosure with four ghost-like beings in it. After making quick work of them, she waited as she thought of a new tactic to try. It appeared her teacher would not allow it. As soon as she stopped to rest, a bolt of magic lightning burst through the trees. She let out a scream, feeling her insides cook as the hole in her chest was burned by the same bolt that had caused it.

When it stopped, she fell to her knees, blood running from her mouth to drip off her chin. When she looked down at her chest, she had to cough up blood. The wound, a large hole the size of her head, was there, strings of blood connecting the top half to the bottom and running down her front and back. What remained of her upper organs, held by fragile, breaking threads that then dropped into her lower half with wet, splosh sounds.

Slowly, she turned her head, tears of pain streaming out of her eyes, and peered through the hole in the stone she had taken cover behind. There, approaching her, was Xerath. As her eyes rolled back in her head, she heard him speak. "Round one is over. Come back when you-" He was saying, but she could no longer hear him. Losing strength, she leaned forward, gravity pulling her down. When she hit the ground, her head bounced once, then she closed her eyes.

She opened them again, after a moment, and saw Xerath. She felt his arms over her back. "W- why... did... you... kill me?" She asked, her voice echoing in his mind as her eyes began to watered.

He shook his head. "I did not. Wait and see." He said.

She did not understand, but could no longer hear anything. The last words she heard where his, the last sounds those of the fires burning, and the last thoughts of pain... and failure.

Seconds later, Syndra opened her eyes wide. Her breathing was rapid, and her senses made her head pound. Her vision was blurry, her own breathing made her ears hurt as she took in rapid breathes, and everything she touched made her body sting. She felt alive, yet in pain. It was as though life was pain, to live was to be in pain.

Thankfully, it did not last. After a few seconds, she no longer hurt. Quickly, her hands went to her chest, pulling her clothes back. There was no hole in her chest. Not even a scar. It was then she noticed, too, that her clothes were repaired. She looked straight ahead, then saw the blue color of Xerath's pointed head. He was coming toward her.

Frightened, she began to look for a place to hide or somewhere to flee to. Near her, she saw a little fellow, a yordle, with a large bag of weapons. "Please! You have to help me! He's going to kill me!" She stammered.

The yordle looked at her, then turned to the approaching Xerath before looking back at her. "Might I recommend a Null-Magic Mantle for 400 gold, or perhaps a Negatron Cloak for 740." He said.

"What!? No, no. He's going to kill me! What would clothes do to save me!?" She asked, panicking.

"They are not clothes, but items." She tensed, slowly turning her head to see Xerath there, floating before the two.

The yordle regarded him with a blank expression. "I'm sorry Sir, but you'll have to talk to the other merchant." It said.

The magus shook his head. "I am not here to purchase, nor should you be here. I thought the League had agreed to not interfere." He demanded, his tone with annoyance rather than anger.

The little fellow scratched his beard, thinking it over to himself. "I apologize, Sir. The League is a business partner of mine, not my boss. I am not a part of it, nor do I talk to my partners about my customers." It said.

Xerath looked at him for a several seconds, the yordle staring back with his blank expression and uninterested. Finally, he turned to Syndra, who was still shaking with fear. "This, is the Summoner's Rift. It is one of three Fields of Justice." He said, spreading his arms out to indicate the whole of the area. "We can not die here, the nexuses bind us here. We will feel death here, but it will not last." He explained.

Placing a hand on her chest, where she had been mortally wounded before, Syndra took a deep breath, the air filling her once destroyed lungs. She let it out slowly, then took another. "Is that why... you were fighting that way?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yes. I'm more of a hands-on teacher, and did not see the point in telling you of the undying effects here. Now that you know, you must realize why I find this place more favorable than anywhere else." He said, then pointed to her chest. "I could have just as easily hit your head or a limb, but I did not want you to die instantly nor linger for too long. Truth be told, I was worried I had missed." He said.

A nervous chuckle escaped her lips. By the way she saw it, he had hit her heart dead-center, tearing it apart where she thought she was safe. "Really? So I can kill you to make sure it does not effect just me?" She asked.

Xerath shrugged his shoulders. "If you must, then do so. After, we will continue the lesson." He said, placing his hands behind his back. His calm demeanor uncomfortable.

"I can kill you? And you will not try to stop me?" She questioned, making sure she had heard him right.

He nodded once more, then moved his left hand in front of his face, looking over his claws like they were finger nails. "Proceed when you are ready." He said.

Now in control of herself once more, Syndra discovered she did not have any of her orbs with her. In her emotional and frightened state, her power had been dormant. She took a breath, three orbs gathering around her, and looked at Xerath. He still stood silent and calm, looking over his claw, glancing at her to see what she was doing. He was growing impatient.

With anger and wrath flowing through her, she brought her arms back, arching herself backward. Then, with a cry of fury, she launched her three, dark orbs at him. The first hit the shoulder of his left arm, breaking it off his body. The second struck the rune at his chest, breaking it away from his body; it and the orb bouncing on the floor. The third and final orb struck his head, shattering the stone. Each blow brought a grunt from him, and the final one a shriek of utter pain that faded as he died. At the end of the shriek, his body collapsed into itself before exploding outward. Stone chips rained down as sparks of blue and white dissipated in the air.

Horrified, she wondered if she really had killed him. A glance took in the merchant yordle. She bend toward him. "Where is he?" She asked.

The yordle scratched his beard, thinking of something. "Your enemy? He's at his base. This is the blue base, and down the lane there leads to the purple base. Is this your first time here?" He asked. She nodded, gesturing him to go on. "I see. Well, just go down this middle lane here and you'll eventually get to him. The towers have been deactivated, so you don't have to worry about them attacking you." He said.

"Thank you." She said, not fully understanding but went along with it anyway. She did not get far when the yordle called her attention back to him. "What is it now?" Her tone made it obvious she was annoyed. She had more questions for her teacher.

The merchant was not phased by her attitude nor her display of power. "You have a little over 900 gold, might I recommend buying yourself Boots of Speed, an Amplifying Tome, and a few health potions before you leave?" He asked.

Gold? And so much of it? She patted her pockets, trying to find this gold. She could not. The yordle told her to return, so she did, and was shown a small coin purse. "The gold is collected over-time and whenever an enemy is slain, a common thing on the Fields of Justice. To keep things simple, and not weigh down the champions fighting, my brother and I keep tabs on the gold, with the help of a few others should we make a mistake. Since it is just the two of you, keeping track is simple. Here is your profit so far." He said, showing her a parchment with her name, a small portrait of her face, and other symbols. The purse of coins was clearly his.

Over the next minute, the merchant explained things to her. Gold collection while in the fields, killing sprees, what each enemy was worth and at what stages the bounties changed, the other symbols, and items. She had went with his recommendation of items after he finished, feeling her magic power increase and speed quicken. By this time, Xerath had returned.

"The League restrains us." She declared, anger heating her tone. Her fists were tight as she turned to him. She was not floating, yet she appeared far more threatening. "Did you truly mean what you said!? Or are you lying to me about more?" She yelled, her face red with rage.

Xerath, as calm as the colors that made up his body, spoke softly. "You would rather die as you just come into your power?" He asked. Almost instantly, she cooled, visibly and emotionally, turning her head away from him. When she did not speak, he continued. "If you wish to be a Champion of the League, you must accept these temporary limitations. Right now, many of them have been disabled, save for the merchants and death preventions." He began, glancing at the yordle.

"Custom matches, like this one, are of profit to us as well." He explained.

The magus looked back to Syndra. "Our powers are limited here, yes, but it is a mere fraction of restraint compared to that of the true limits." With a hand, he turned her face back to his. "What you see during this match, as it is called, is my power, restrained only by the stone of my former tomb. I could do far worse, but am unable to. You, on the other hand, are limited by your experience and lack of refined teaching. I do not know what you learned with your former master, but I intend to bring out your full potential." He said, releasing her. She did not look away, but her eyes had a hard edge to them. "Time is my ally. There are only two ways to be rid of me. The first is that you no longer desire my instructions." He said, holding up a finger.

He leaned close, his head inches from hers. "The second, you die." A second finger went up.

Syndra, the hair of her head floating with the energy being right in front of her, stared, wide-eyed, into his seemingly endless eyes. During that time, she could see the one thing she had always longed for most in the world: unbridled power.

He leaned away from her, her hair settling, then put his hands under her arms, hoisting her up. "Come. The lesson is not over." He said.

Syndra swallowed as she followed. "What is your passive?" She asked as she followed.

"Ascended Form. My magic power, ability power, toughens my body, increasing my resistance to physical harm." He said. His head turned a complete 180 degrees to look at her. "Why do you ask?"

She was not concerned with his action, already guessing he could do that. "The merchant told me about it. I do not know what my "passive" is." She answered. "Do the Summoners chose it when I become a champion?" She asked.

Xerath was silent a moment as they reached the area they had clashed. He turned and started toward the left, following a path through the trees and bushes. "I do not know how they chose that. Some, I have seen, are simple enough and make sense, while others do not. You may think of your own passive if you wish." He said.

She intended to.

When he stopped her, she looked up, seeing a large golem with a set of blue spheres rotating around it. Two lizard men, about a third its height, sat next to it. They seemed to be waiting for something. "This is the Ancient Golem. We are going to use it for practice." He said, then pointed at one of the lizard men. "Try to pick that one up, like you do with your orbs." He ordered.

She was confused, but did as asked. She had lifted small objects and creatures before, this was no different. The other lizard man and golem turned aggressive, moving toward her. Xerath, standing in front of her, threw out a small ball of magic, hitting the lizard. It took a step back, sparks flying off its body, before advancing again. It charged a spell, a fireball by the look of it, but Xerath was quicker, casting a spell that send a bolt of lightning-like magic at it. The bolt passed through the golem, knocking off a size-able piece of it, but not slowly it, and all but vaporized the lizard man.

"Wait for my signal, then hit it." He ordered, turning his attention to the golem. With three swift, blinding strikes, he attacked the stoned monster, clips, shards, and chunks falling off it with each strike from above. "Now!" He said.

Using the lizard man she had captured, Syndra threw it at the golem with such force that it shattered. She paused, feeling a sudden increase in her vitality as the blue spheres that were around it now circling her. "W- what is this? It feels amazing! I like I can take on all of Ionia and Noxus alone!" She said, a maniacal laugh escaping her.

She suddenly felt a hard hit across her head. Angry, she turned to see Xerath, shaking his head at her. "That is the blessing of the golem. It feels the one with it with energy and allows the constant replenishment of stamina and vitality, for a time. There are two golems in this field, one for each team." He explained. He tilted his head, looking over her shoulder. "Over there is where we entered, not from the summoning platforms as is normal." He added, turning her to show her.

Once he had, he put his hand over her shoulder, urging her to follow once more before he removed his hand. "Now that that is finished, and you know what to expect, do not hold back this time. Waiting for you to recover is not part of my les-" The sound of ground being destroyed interrupted him as he was forced to get away.

Syndra, her orbs back and she floating in the air, smiled as she flung another at him. "I'll keep that in mind!" She yelled as she attacked.

Xerath was forced to go on the defensive, the golem's blessing and her new knowledge proving to inspire her violent side. Not that he was complaining, he would be praising her for getting the upper hand so soon, but now he really had a fight on his hands. Both of them knew they could go all out, but she had the advantage of the blessing.

This was going to be fun, if not painful for both.  
_-_-_-_-_

After an hour of unrelenting battle, both Xerath and Syndra, tired and panting, lay on the ground. Xerath's body, weakened in a more mystic sense of the word, shimmered and jolted, his form difficult to maintain. Syndra, her chest heaving with each breath, wore her now sweat and blood stricken clothes like a second skin.

"Well... that was a workout." She said in between tired breaths. Her head rolled over, seeing her teacher on the ground as well. "So, did I pass?" She asked, finding the strength to let out a soft laugh.

He rolled his head to face her, his voice, while not as tired of hers, did not have the same strength as it did before. "It was a lesson, but you did well. It's been a long, long time since I've been able to use that much force." He said.

She rolled her head back, looking up at the sky. "Do you truly want me as a student? I can't help but feel the difference between us is too great a gap." She sadly said.

"Do not question your abilities so soon. Within you, I see myself, only older." He said.

When she sat up, her arms feeling like lead, she gazed down at him. They were only a foot or two away, yet she stared as though from miles away. "Yourself only older?" She asked.

"When I was your age, I could never hope to achieve what you can do. Making a building float, and then leaving it and thinking nothing of it, would have been impossible. I'd say I was ten years older when I could do such a thing, nearly forty at the end of my mortal life." He said, a hint of sorrow in his crackling voice. Then, his body stopped shimmering, regaining its former form and his tone returning to normal. "I am beyond your power now, but, were we the same age and creatures, you would be my superior." He said.

Syndra smiled at that and looked away, a blush touching her cheeks and making them red. She had never before been complimented or praised for her abilities, only feared by those weaker than her, or threatened by those stronger. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "As to your becoming a champion, that will take time, dedication, and, worst of all, knowing when to hold back." He said.

She turned her head, looking at him. His other hand was over his face as he shook his head. "What do you mean?" She asked. "I will make the time, I desire nothing else but to become stronger, and I know how to control myself!" She exclaimed, the fight, if only a small portion, back in her tone.

"I did not say you lacked control, but you lack the knowledge of when and how much to hold back." He explained.

She stood, shrugging his hand from her shoulder, and glared. "What. Do. You. Mean." She said again, each word carrying a threat.

Xerath, appearing as ready as he once was to do battle, scanned her body with his eyes. Her legs were wobbly, her chest heaved, she was could not breath calmly, and she still had wounds over her body. She could barely stand, yet she was ready to fight again. "You have the will power, but not the knowledge. That is what I am saying. I will teach you to hold back, when to do so, and how much force to exert. The world may be against you, but surprise will keep you alive." He said.

He held out his hand, a force of magic pushing her and knocking her over. "You've felt what I am capable of, you've died at least five times during this lesson. What if we had not met until just now? Would you have guessed me so powerful?" He asked.

She was silent, thinking over his question. Finally, she let out an agitated sigh. "I see what you mean." She said. Her eyes turned hard once more. "I am eager to learn." She added.

For the first time since he was human, among those he called apprentices under his wing, he was proud to see someone grasp his lessons. "Your next lesson is tomorrow morning. Rest tonight, and be ready. It will not a test of strength, but endurance." He said, then held out a hand. She grasped it.

As he helped her up, Syndra could feel a surge of power from him into her body. It felt amazing! When she was on her feet again, she was able to float once more. "Thank you, Teacher." She said, a pleasant, truly happy, smile brightening her otherwise dark features.

"Teacher? I am going to need to get use to being called that." He said, smiling inwardly again.


	4. Chapter 4: Squashing Bugs

_Well, this one took some time to come up with. Sorry to those I kept waiting and I hope everyone enjoys._

Chapter Four: Practice, Acquaintances, Childish Fun, and Plotting

"How was that?" Asked a slightly annoyed Syndra.

Xerath looked up from what he was reading and looked at what remained of the target. "Too much force." His eyes turned to something else. "You are improving, however." He added.

She smiled, some of the annoyance fading from her features. It was soon replaced by a frown when she looked at their guest. "Will you be stopping that sometime soon? It's difficult to restrain myself with all that insentient writing." She growled, glaring at him.

The figure, wearing the traditional robe of a high-ranking summoner of the League of Legends, looked up from his notepad at her before pausing from his righting. "As I have said before, I was sent to ensure you and Champion Xerath do not cause anymore harm to the Institution's grounds." He said, a warning in his eyes.

Syndra huffed at him, then turned her attention to her teacher. "And what do those reports say, anyway?" She asked.

The magus, placed the stack of papers down, stapled together into small packet, and placed his head in his hand. "I did not know at the time, but it seemed your lesson caused a bit of harm to the Rift." He said.

The summoner turned an angry glare on the champion. "A bit!? The Baron's been on a rampage, the dragon's been hiding somewhere, the jungle creatures have been fighting one another, and a fourth of the Rift was on fire until we manged to get the other champions to help us contain and put it out!" He let out, his face red with rage.

Xerath and Syndra looked to one another. A smile sat on her face and, she imaged, he was as well. "Baron? Wasn't that the large, purple worm?" She asked.

He nodded, then went back to reading the small packet. "I told you about the Baron and its blessing, but we did not see it. I made sure it, and the dragon, would not appear. There must have been some magical residue left there." He said, causally and calmly.

The summoner still appeared mad, but finally cooled. "The Institution has ordered I make sure the two of you do not cause harm to anything else." He said, then sat down, letting out an angry sigh.

Syndra turned her head to a small group near them. "Could I have another giant bug?" She asked.

"Voidling. They are called voidlings." Came the voice of Malzahar. Reluctantly, he did summon another voidling and ordered it to crawl onto a small platform in front of Syndra. "You do realize that this is a blatant misuse of my powers." He said.

Xerath shrugged his shoulders. "When the Void rips its way into the world, and we are overrun, then it will be a misuse. Until then, they are free moving targets." He said. His gaze turned to a second member. "How would you say she did in terms of accuracy?" He asked.

Ashe, the Frost Archer, had already made her judgement. "Her aim is nearly perfect, but I cannot tell for certain." She said. It would be strange if she said otherwise, considering the archer specialized in arrows, not orbs.

Truth be told, he had been eager to find Caitlyn for her expertise in hitting moving targets, rather than the patient Ashe who relied on still targets or predictable ones. The sheriff was busy with her duty of keeping Piltover under control, and could not be bothered to help him in this. Ahri would have been a better choice, as she too used an orb as her weapon, but was able to get her either. Though he was able to speak with her, it was during one of her mating rituals with another of the champions. Needless to say, both were not pleased with his intrusion. Was he like that when he was mortal? It was such a long time ago...

Shaking his head, he returned to the present. The voidling was already moving, jumping and climbing over the multi-layered platform. Syndra's control had improved, before she was destroying the platform, but now she was smashing the voidlings rather than doing what he asked. "Once more: stun it with one of your orbs without killing it. Hit it, knock it out, but do not apply too much force. It must be alive." He reminded her.

After rolling her eyes, pleased with her last performance, conjured an orb and sent it at the moving bug. She pulled back a second later, withdrawing the orb. The voidling stood stone still, looking frightened. Her smile turned wicked. "Don't count yourself lucky." She warned, letting her orb spin above her index finger.

Xerath glanced over. "Ashe?" He asked.

"She pulled back her orb just as it touched the voidling..." She said, her eyes wide in surprise. She had never seen anything like it.

"Stunned with fear does not count. It has to be knocked out or dazed." He said, turning the packet to the next page. "Summoner. Are we allowed to borrow one of the Fields of Justice?" He asked.

The summoner shook his head. "No. The Fields are off limits until the two of you can control yourselves!" He nearly yelled.

Xerath, unconcerned as he had been, looked up. "Power has a limit. Find it, and one can manipulate it. Failure to control the limit, the power, results can vary from harmless to cataclysmic." His blue and white eyes stared into the summoner's green eyes. "Cataclysmic events are what I am trying to prevent." He reminded, his tone deep and full of authority.

The summoner opened his mouth to speak, but the magus' stare left him speechless. He swallowed past a lump in his throat, mouth agape, and sat down. The matter settled, he went back to reading.

"I think I killed it again..." Syndra said, looking at the alien bug. "If it's legs are twitching, does that mean it's dying?" She asked, poking at the bug.

Ashe and Malzahar, watching, did not speak as Xerath looked over. The bug's legs twitched, but it was still alive. "It's alive. Take it from me." Tryndamere proclaimed. The barbarian king had insisted on coming along with Ashe, the two of them talking now and again about some political matters. None of them minded, but the group had grown to an impressive side. Hopefully no one else would join.

After a few seconds, the voidling began moving again, only it ran to Malzahar and hid behind the prophet. Xerath handed the summoner the packet. "I suppose that's all we'll be able to do on that. Remember that control, it will prove invaluable in a few days." He said, reminding her of the reason he was helping her.

Syndra nodded, glad to finally be done. As fun as it was to kill the insects, every time she killed one Xerath would zap her. She had been asked to wear something without sleeves and a short skirt. She wore such an outfit now, the colors a dark purple and blue. It was not until they started she realized why. The burns on her arms and legs were equivalent of swats from a ruler. He was her teacher, with his own teaching methods, but his method of punishments left her unwilling to indulge her masochistic desire to squash the large bugs.

The summoner had caught them with an escort of guards as they met in the Institution to begin the day's lesson. After their "arrest", and one of the guards was gotten out of the wall, the two had been informed of the damage done to the Summoner's Rift. Xerath was impressed, Syndra was annoyed, and the summoner, after failing to demonstrate threaten them, began following the two. The magus was not impressed with the damage, but the way the mage had tried to subdue them. Syndra's annoyance lay with her teacher taking all the fun out of the arrest by stopping her from throwing more guards, and the mage, through the walls. She did admit, however, that the "summoner spells" were interesting.

The first stop had been Malzahar's room, asking the prophet to provide the use of his voidlings are target practice. At first, he had been unwilling, but, after some private talk, he became willing, even pleased. After failing to find Caitlyn and walking in on Ahri, the four had run into Ashe and Tryndamere, both of whom agreed to help them without a cost.

Syndra, pleased with herself, lunged for Xerath, hugging his energy body to her physical body. Ashe blushed and looked away, Tryndamere scratched his head in confusion, Malzahar was busy trying to calm the voidling, and the summoner merely stared. Her head close to his, she whispered. "Can we go back to private training now? Just the two of us?" She asked.

Since yesterday, he had found that his body let out waves of energy that she found enjoyable. By the way her hair stood out, most would thing it similar to static, it was the power emanating from him. She could feel it in a way no one else could, almost draw it out. "In time. For now, this vulture is circling over our heads." He said, not even attempting to keep his voice down, unlike her.

The summoner coughed into his hand, clearly annoyed. "I can hear you, and I will have you know I am a high-ranking member of the Inst-"

"Institution of War sent to ensure we do not cause anymore harm and to keep tabs on us until the day of Syndra's final evaluation." Xerath and Syndra, both, spoke along with the summoner. "We know." He said, clearly annoyed after hearing the same speech for, what seemed to him, many times today. He turned to the three fellow champions. "Thank you for your times." He said.

The other three informed they were happy to help, rose, and began to leave.

Once they were gone, Syndra removed herself from her teacher, her hair settling down and she smoothed it out. "Do you think that will spread any rumors?" She asked, ignoring the summoner as she had for most of the day.

Xerath, rising to his full height minus the floating, turned his head in the direction of the Institution. "Not likely. Those three are not the types to spread rumors, true or false." He informed. His eyes then turned back to the tree and the platform that had been used for target practice. "Now is the time to clean up. After, I will show you to the League's dining hall." He added.

"Alright." She said, then turned to the tree. She enclosed the platform and the remains of dead voidlings, about twenty or so, in a large, dark orb. Slowly, she brought her arms together in a practiced motion, her hands making a circle at her stomach. As she brought her hands closer, closing the circle, the orb began to shrink, its round edges causing the platform to be crushed. Finally, it began as small as a soccer ball. Her head came up, followed by her arms spreading outward from one another, and the orb became a flat disk for just a moment before vanishing, a sharp crushing and alien sound echoing in the silence.

Syndra turned back to see what reaction the two of them would give her. Xerath appeared more interested than amazed, his hand resting on his chin. The summoner gave her the expression she had expected: one mixed with shock, awe, and a hint of fear. "Do you normally eat at the dining hall Teacher?" She asked, her tone had changed to a more pleasant one as apposed to her usual irritated and suspicious one.

"I do, but not for the same reason as you or others would. The need for physical nourishment has long since become a task rather than a daily habit." He informed. The times he did eat were rare, only in times of festivities or for formal meals. Snowdown and Hallow's End were two such rare occasions, either for people to see him sampling their dishes or so as to not make people feel uneasy. Whenever he did eat, the food was simply absorbed into his body, being broken down into energy within a matter of minutes. He did gain energy, yes, but he lost more through the actual process as he was not use to it. "Will you be coming as well, Summoner?" He asked.

The mage shook his head. "No. I must give a report to my superiors, but I will return within the hour or another will replace me." He said, then rose. He gave them both a hard, warning look. "Until next time." He said, then walked off.

When he was out of hear shot, Syndra wrapped her arms around his. "Finally alone, for a time." She said, her tone taking on a lustful and seductive tone.

Xerath nodded his head, watching the direction the summoners had left. His gaze then turned up, a faint sound going off. He held up the hand she was not clinging to and shook a finger at the sky, then unleashed a bolt of magic laced lightning. A cry of pain echoed in the background, as soft as the wind blowing. "Irritating mage." He muttered.

His attention was draw to his student, who was giggling like a little girl. Their eyes met and she smiled up at him. "You're going to have to stop this..." He said, his tone blank of any emotion.

She released him then. "It will take some time. You're like a drug I've become addicted to." She informed, then leaned her face to his. "I may need help." She added, a hint in her tone.

Xerath stared at her for a long moment. Finally, he spoke. "How long does it take you to travel in that floating home of yours? Say from here to Bilgewater?" He asked, his tone without emotion, even lacking that spark of curiosity and interest he once held.

Syndra frowned and took a few steps away from him. She was silently, carefully calculating whether or not to tell him. She at last did. "Two days, a little less if the weather is right. I could travel there on my own power within a day." She said. Her face turned to one of suspicious. "Why do you ask?" She asked.

He turned his head to look off in the direction of something she could not see, then his body went silence. "I believe a field trip would be best to further your training." He said, still looking out toward his intended destination.

Syndra looked where he did, trying to recall which direction it was. The sky did not tell her, it was noon and the sun was resting in the middle of the sky. "What good would going to Bilgewater do?" She asked. This was sounding very strange to her.

Xerath finally turned his head to her, his eyes regaining that spark that so captivated her. "Power derives itself from study, research, and emotion. You are studying with me, my research will aid you, but your emotions are scattered." He said, his tone back to normal. She began to object, but a raised hand silenced her. "You act like a child; throwing tantrums, responding well to praise, a desire to break things, and attachment to things you like. At Bilgewater, there live two another champions, Sarah Fortune, or Miss Fortune, and Graves. Both grew up without their parents and were forced to survive on their skills and minds alone. There two may be able to help you." He explained.

She was silent, glaring at him. She looked on the verge of throwing a tantrum, but managed to keep herself in check. She took a calming breath before speaking. "Alright. I will mature, something I am quite able to do on my own, from these tutors." She said.

Xerath began moving, gesturing for her to follow him. She did. "First you eat while I speak with the League. After, if they allow it, we will begin traveling tomorrow." He said.

Little did she know that Bilgewater was not their intended destination. Having grown up in a community that encouraged one's magical growth, he had never suffered oppression from those who thought they were too powerful. Syndra had come from the opposite environment. If there was any hope for her to become a champion, or a powerful sorceress, she would need to face the ghosts of her pass. There destination was to the northeast.

Whatever happened, however, happened. If things went well, she would grown and become a better person. If things went as he expected, she would mature. If things went bad or worse, he could lose his student in a fit of rage. Worse case, he'd be forced to kill her. This time, the Fields of Justice would not return her life...

_Typical teacher, preparing a test without telling his student._


	5. Chapter 5: The Sovereign's Past

_I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, and it was not entirely the holidays to blame. Truthfully, I've been trying to finish another fanfic of mine. Anyway, here is the one many have probably been waiting for._

"Five days. That's all the time you have." Came the authority heavy voice of the high summoner spoke.

Xerath's eyes lowered, as menacing a glare as he could muster. This was the summoner who had been present at Syndra's reflection and took the tally of votes. He had also been the one to name the requirements for another vote and, potentially, override any negative votes. "And if we are late? Say a day or two?" He asked.

The summoner leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against one another as he thought this over. "The champions of Ionia, the Kinkou especially, believe her a threat to themselves and others around them. When they found you were teaching her and I had given her the chance to come before again, they were not happy." He informed, a sigh escaping him after he had spoken his piece. After a brief time, he spoke again. "You may have less. There is the chance the Kinkou will get to her first." He warned.

The magus' eyes became wide. This was a surprise! If the Kinkou were after her, the trip was a bad idea.

No!

He knew, better than anyone, that this was the only way to help her. If the Kinkou did interfere, they would have to be dealt with. At least, as far as he knew there was Zed, the leader of the shadow clan and Shen's rival, who could help. While he was not a champion of the League, the shadow ninja was a major power in the land, iron fist or not. It was the reason he had been able to judge Syndra, and the magus knew it was he who gave Syndra her second vote.

Xerath's eyes returned to normal, the surprise replaced by a burning determination. He would have to take her to Ionia. "I understand." He said, rising from the chair he had sat himself in. "We will see you in five days then. Good day." He said, giving a polite bow.

A thought occurred to him and he sat back down. "Could you do me a favor? To help with Syndra's training." He asked.

The summoner gestured for him to go on. "Her joining the League is important to us. While her ideas are not what we would call popular among the Institution, her abilities are what interest us. Should the shaky truce between Demacia and Noxus be terminated, we hope she would be an ally." He informed.

-That was no surprise- he thought to himself. If the woman could improve her abilities, she could be of use in a number of things from evacuating residence to separating key figures from their supporters. "I need Shen, Akali, and Kennen, the three Kinkou members here, to remain within the Institution until after Syndra's reflection. I feel a trip to Ionia is needed, and I would rather not be responsible for their deaths, injuries, or the reason they must retire from the League. Also, I have nothing against the Kinkou, and so do not wish to wipe them from the world." He explained.

The summoner was speechless. He, as well as many others, did not know the extent of Xerath's powers when not on the Fields of Justice. Based on the reports he had heard from his and Syndra's lesson, as he called it, he did not reveal his limited powers. He shuttered to think if the magus grew tired of League and tried to take what he wanted from them: the nexuses. "I will see what I can do. Perhaps you should seek assistance from the Order of the Shadow. Their leader, Zed, spoke of your student. It was clear he had far more interest in her than we." He offered.

Xerath nodded his head. "I will do as you suggest. While I've never spoken to this Zed before, I have the feeling the three of us will get along well." He said. It was then he noticed the look in the summoner's eyes. "We will keep the activity to a minimum. Peace is far better for research than war, no matter who is fighting." He said.

The summoner relaxed, leaning back into his chair. "Try not to kill anyone, if at all possible, and there will be no problems. Good luck to you." He said, and then took a folder of reports from his desk. "Good luck, to both you and Syndra." He said.

And with that, Xerath bowed before exiting the room. It was good to have the League cooperating, for what few times they did, and even offering ideas. Hopefully, with luck, there would be no body count. Then again, it was the Order of the Shadow acting as a distraction to prevent the Kinkou from interfering with what he had planned.

Outside, Syndra was waiting for him. She smiled shyly at him, placing a hand on her hips as she watched him. "Planning our field trip?" She questioned, leaning toward him.

The magus only continued to move, thinking to himself and barely hearing her. "Yes. Just last minute preparations needing to be put into place. How was your morning practice?" He asked.

The woman did not answer, but followed him in silence. When he stopped and turned to her, only then did she answer. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

He was silent, floating there motionless, then placed his head in his hand. "My apologizes. I was thinking back to a time now lost." He informed. He began moving again, hoping to change the subject. "The Kinkou may turn into a problem. Have you encountered them before?" He asked.

"No. Having a floating home gives me an advantage for staying out of trouble." She said with a smirk. "Ninjas are agile and powerful warriors, but they do not fly very well." Her grin became dark, something she wanted to say but kept herself from.

Xerath thought of this, nodding slightly to himself. "We will be leaving today. I will teach you during the journey." He said.

A thought occurred to her. "We aren't going to Bilgewater, are we?" She asked.

"The Kinkou give it away?" He asked. She nodded. "Ionia is what is keeping you from becoming a champion. As such, a few good deeds will help to brighten their appearance of you." She huffed. "Or we could decimate some Noxian outposts." She applauded at that one. "Are you ready to move at any time today?" He asked.

"Of course. We can leave right away." She said, moving in front of him. She turned a smile back at him before disappearing behind a corner.

Xerath, still thinking to himself, began his slow move forward. There was so much to think on and prepare. Syndra dealing with her past; forming an alliance with the Order of the Shadow; keeping the Kinkou out of the picture; and there was still the matter of Syndra's second judgement, which was the most important of all.

So much to do, and so little time to get it all done. Ironic considering he normally did not care about such a mortal problem, but now, with a student, he had to factor in the otherwise useless factor.  
_

An hour later, Xerath and Syndra were on in her home, floating off the ground and toward their destination. As she could keep the building floating, and moving, he had time to act as a teacher in magic. It quickly became evident that his field of mage was quite different from hers.

"Syndra? Are you there?" He asked, lightly tapping her forehead with the back of his stone-covered hand. "It's been twenty seconds..." He added, muttering to himself.

Syndra, her eyes with a glossy look like she was in a trance, finally snapped back into reality. She blinked several times, looked around like she did not know where she was, before finally speaking. "Wh... what happened?" She asked.

Xerath let out a crackling sigh of relief. "You said you wanted to learn that arcane stun technique of mine. Unfortunately, we may need a volunteer to assist us." He said.

She frowned at him, then remembered what she had said a little while ago. "Oh yes! Of... of course." She said, appearing saddened.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She was silent for several seconds before she swallowed past the limp in her throat. "I'm just nervous about returning to Ionia." She said. Her bright, purple eyes appeared to lose much of their shine as she went on. "I did not leave on graceful terms." She added.

His face unreadable, Xerath gestured toward a stone bench sculpted out of the wall. She nodded, letting him pull her toward it and saw down when he did. She barely noticed the soft cushions she had, at one time, sat on with enthusiasm as a young girl.

"Do you want to talk about it? As your teacher, I would love to hear of your upbringing to better teach you, but I do not wish to force a painful past unto you." He assured her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, sending a pleasant shock through her body unintentionally.

After recovering from her shutter, she took a deep breath, preparing herself. "I was five years old when I first began my self teaching. As the days turned into weeks, my parents, at least one of them, were gone most days. It was not until a year later that I found out they had been speaking to the elders of my village." She paused, then went silent.

Patiently, he waited, as silent as her.

She continued. "They told me I was going to be a great sorceress one day, like Starchild Soraka, and they wanted me to learn from a great mage. He was old, but he only taught the most gifted. He even gave Soraka lessons." She said, an emotionless giggle coming from her. It was almost scary how such an innocent thing could be so empty. "He did teach me many things, my ability to make orbs was one of them. For eight years I called it home, and he teacher. I had no idea, until then, my powers had ceased to grow and found out why."

"I killed him, smashed his fragile, aged body into the wall until he was so disfigured I did not recognize him, and only stopped when I could not long pick up his body." She said, a sad smile on her face at the reconnection. Again, she was silent, a pained expression on her face.

Xerath's hand moved to her shoulder, causing her to turn her head. When she did, their eyes met. "You can stop if you need to." He began.

Before he could continue, she was shaking her head, then went on. "After that, I felt a surge of power, my power, welling up inside me. It felt incredible! All those years I was suppressed by that old man suddenly came back to me, empowering me." She stood, holding her arms out to indicate the whole building. "I did not wait for them to find out, or even dispose of the body. Using all of my powers, I pulled this place, my prison, from the ground. It was easier than I thought, as the stone rose with my rage. After a time, I got away to the opened sea, then disposed of the body by throwing it over the side, watching his dead body fall into the blue waters. I left everything behind that day. My family, friends, village, beliefs. Everything!"

"The only thing I could trust was my power. No one could be trusted." She finished.

Syndra was went silent again. It was evident that she was not going to speak again.

"I will not ask you to trust me, nor say that you can, but I will not betray you. You have my word." He said.

She did not respond. Trust was, needless to say, something she would give only to those who truly, without question, earned it from her.

"I am not your friend, however. I am your teacher and your superior. Keep that in mind." He said. He then began to make his way to the door, but turned back halfway. "Your haunted by your past. I can only help to put them rest now. There is such a thing as too late." He turned to start again. "I know. My past will always haunt me, because I was too late to put those spirits to rest." He added.

As he opened the door, he paused when he heard a sound. "What do you mean?" Syndra asked.

He did not turn back to her. "Everyone I knew back then, friends, family, colleagues, former teachers and mentors, everyone, died long before I was able to get out of my prison. -ha- I say I got out, but it still lingers, containing me." He said, a light chuckle in the middle of what he was saying. "I do not want you to live with what I do. Stone and magic bind me in a physical sense, but the mental bars around me will never go." He added.

With that, he stepped through the threshold, closing the door behind himself.

Alone, Syndra sat back down on the bench. She laid down, her legs causally over the side, and put her head in her arms. In the crushing silence and loneliness, with her troubled past brought back to the surface, and all the mistakes with it. Syndra, the self proclaimed Dark Sovereign who would one day become one of the most powerful women in the world, cried like a child who had just lost her family.

_Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Next one will be a kind of time-skip so they are in Ionia. Prepare for some action in upcoming chapters and I wish everyone a Happy New Year._


	6. Chapter 6: A Past Left Behind

Chapter Six: A Past Left Behind

"You may pass, but be careful. A great imbalance lurks." The Kinkou said, her eyes toward the sky.

The other two looked in the direction. Miles away, high about the treetops and only a fraction of its size, floated a stone temple. It was an ominous sight for sure, and quite difficult to miss.

The Kinkou looked back to the two of them. "I do not know why she has returned, but do be careful. Ordinarily, Ionia welcomes scholars, but not now." She added.

"We will. Thank you." He assured the young woman.

She gave the signal before stepping away, letting them pass.

Great effort was used to make sure his footsteps made a sound. It was more of a forced effort of a natural skill he had abandoned, but, thanks to his stone prison, and a little adjusting of it, he was able to snap twigs beneath his feet.

When they were out of earshot of the female ninja, perhaps more hiding and watching them, he held up his hand, an eye appearing over it. After several seconds, he closed his hand, letting his arm fall to his side. "We're clear, for now. How much further?" He asked.

The response was a nervous sigh. "Half an hour." She said. She turned to the floating building in the sky, a frown diminishing her features. "I'm not so sure about this anymore. What if we're caught?" She asked.

His reply was long in coming. "Plan B. So far, Plan A has been working as intended. If things keep going this well, we will be out of here in an hour or two." He said.

She called out, asking that he wait a moment. After carefully struggling with the sleeve of her robe, she was able to get it off the branch. "The sooner we are finished, the sooner we may be rid of these accursed garments!" She said, rage and impatience evident in her tone.

He looked at his arm, finding the robe he wore to be in fair condition. "I understand your dislike to wear such a thing, but we have no choice. Keeping our identities secret is necessary." He informed her, hoping to ease her discomfort, at least a little.  
_

_Hours ago._

"Syndra!" Xerath called, his voice laced with authority. "I know a lot of this is something you do not want to do, but it must be done!" He said. His voice cooled, most of the rage leaving it. "I do not fancy our chances if the Kinkou know who we are. It's best to attempt to fool them and be out as soon as possible." He said.

Syndra, holding the dark blue robe in her hands, did not look away, even when he called out to her. "But why must we travel on foot!? We are more powerful than them! One of us could defeat the whole of the Kinkou!" She said.

"No!" He yelled, forcing her to flinch for the first time. "This is not a declaration of war, but a covet operation! Zed and his Order of Shadow are only to act as a distraction while we go to your village, under the guise of League scholars." He said, then straightened his posture. "Think of it as a test, with a passing or failing grade, depending on how you do." He added.

She looked down at the clothing in her hands. She turned her head back up to him, the anger replaced by uncertainty. "What are we to find in my village?" She asked, forcing her speech to maintain its fire, though it was not nearly as hot as before.

He turned his back to her, heading toward the door to give her the privacy she needed to change. "You will know when we get there. As I have told you, you must face your past." He repeated, exiting the room.

Five minutes later, she emerged, finding him in the hallway. "You look good." She said, trying to keep from laughing but her twitching mouth betraying her desire to.

Xerath was wearing a bright orange robe with a hood, his face mostly concealed behind it and the fabric clearly too big for him. He looked at her, or she assumed he did as the hood was facing her. "Is it that bad? No image of a mage with overwhelming power and centuries of experience?" He asked.

She could not help but laugh. "More like a child playing pretend!" She said as she laughed. She put her arms around her waist, her sides beginning to hurt. Finally, she managed to stop, nearly tearing up. "I'm sorry. You just look so ridiculous." She said as she finished laughing.

While he was not amused, he was not angry. "I see... Well, are you ready? We should be arriving soon, then we will have to walk. We'll be meeting a contact from the Order of the Shadow shortly after." He explained, as though repeating it aloud to ensure he knew what to do. "These are allies, not enemies. Like you and I, they seek to improve themselves. They will not welcome us with opened arms, but at least they will not welcome us with blades at our throats." He explained.

An hour later, they arrived at the island of Ionia.

As strange as it was, the stone building docked at the island shore before being lifted into the air. Syndra sent it away from them, to the north and then west. If anything, it would make the common people believe they were elsewhere. With his help, it was sent on a preplanned route, so it would circle the island out of reach of anyone and everyone.

Before they could go too far, their contact arrived. "Magus Xerath, Sorceress Syndra. My master said your arrival would be missed only by the blinded." Came an inaudible voice. From the shadow of a large tree rose a ninja, its armor a dark steel with a coif that hid its face. "Welcome to Ionia. I have been sent to meet with the two of you and ask if there is anything you need." The ninja said, using something to make it impossible to tell whether the one before them was male or female.

Xerath pushed back the hood of his robe. "We need to get to Syndra's village, and, to do that, I want the Order of the Shadow to run a distraction. In return, I am willing to share part of my knowledge with your master." He said.

The ninja shook its head. "No need. Master Zed wishes the sorceress to grow. Anything we can do to help in her mission to do so, will be done without cost." The ninja said.

The ninja retrieved something from underneath his armor, fixing it with the greatest of care, before holding it out in both hands, then thrust it forward. The thing sprang to live, flying upward and toward the distance horizon. He finally turned back to the two. "That carrier will concave your wishes to my master. Will there be anything else?" He asked.

Xerath shook his head.

"Very well. I will follow the two of you for a time, scouting the area should I feel the need, before returning to my Order." The ninja added, his being melting into the shadows he had first emerged from.

"For the record, the Order of the Shadow was never a group I associated myself with before." Syndra informed, watching the black shadow moving into the jungles of the Ionia. "Why do you have ties with them?" She asked.

Xerath's expression, concealed by the hood of his hood, was one of mischievous nature. "It annoys a certain mage. While I do not maintain a strong relationship, literally just an associate-type one, my magic benefits them and their resources benefit me." He said.

The sorceress fixed her hood, ensuring her face hidden from any who would look upon her, before looking at him, her voice changing. "A certain mage? Does this mean the passive Magus Ascendant has enemies?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Individuals with different perspectives, nothing more. Now and again, it does develop into something akin to rivalry, but nothing more." He assured her, fixing his own hood.  
_

_Back to the present_

With the first meeting of the Kinkou going smoothly, things were beginning to look up. They were nearing the village, and, with it, Syndra was becoming more and more nervous. At least it was not showing under her hood.

This was, actually, Xerath's first time visiting Ionia, so he let Syndra lead the way. Even if it had been years, she did not show hesitation as she walked. Straight as an arrow, as one would say, they were bound to their destination.

The scenery, despite all the battles against Noxus, was beautiful. The tropical trees, the calls of wild birds and animals echoing all around them, the various colorful and exotic fruits and floral growing all around. It was almost a perfect paradise. Almost... until they came upon a few distinct signs of human influence.

The battle and chemical scarred ground, the remains of weaponry and armor fused with their owners, blood stains here and there, and, lastly, there were bodies. Neither Xerath nor Syndra so much as grimaced at the sights.

Curious, the magus approached a corpse, kneeling down to for a closer inspection. He dared now touch it due to the trouble they had already gone through to get here. "Noxian. I'm guessing two patrols came across one another, and this battle ensued." He said, then looked around. "Where are the Ionian bodies?" He asked, more to himself than to her.

"You won't find them." She said. He looked to her as she went on. "If there was a survivor, or one of the villagers found this scene, they would have taken the bodies away for proper burial. If we stay, another group will be along to dispose of the Noxian bodies." She explained.

Xerath rose. "We should leave then. How much further?" He asked.

She pointed. Within view, past the vegetation and leaves, the jungle parted slightly to reveal the telltale signs of a village. "My village." She stated, blankly.

He nodded. "It's time you put your past to rest. One way or another." He said, his tone emotionless.

Entree into the village was a simple matter of strolling on in, even if some of the people gave them odd, questioning looks. With Syndra's guidance, they did not need to ask where the elder was to find their destination.

Pausing before an average sized house, clear patchwork having been done to repair it, and nothing of special note. The windows were closed with small blankets of brightly colored fabrics, some even poke a dotted.

Xerath took the lead from here. He tapped the door with the back of his knuckles, the stone of his mobile prison making it possible. There was silence, then motion behind the door.

A few seconds later, the door opened. A man, perhaps near or in his forties, appeared. "Y- yes?" The man said, clearly surprised to see such important-looking people at his door.

"We are scholars from the Institution of War, and we have question for you and your wife. May we enter?" Xerath asked.

The man, shocked to hear the extent of their importance, looked at the two of them. He started the robed and silent Syndra longer. He could see neither of their faces, but there was obviously something about her. Finally, he stepped out of the doorway and opened it wider. "Please. Come in. Rebekah! We have guests! Prepare some snacks, please." He said, turning his head and calling into the house.

They both entered the house, then watched as the man closed the door. They stood there, waiting and watching as the man began to lead them to a small table with pillows instead of chairs.

When he sat down at the head of the table, Syndra, by instinct, sat down as well, but across from him. Xerath followed suit, sitting between the two to the right of Syndra.

The man smiled, but there was no joy in it. His eyes began to tear. "You've returned... my daughter."

Syndra removed her hood, her long, silver hair fixed behind her back with the aid of her arm. Her bright, purple eyes showed no emotions of joy, anger, or sorrow, despite the long time she had not seen her father. "I have, Father." She said, her voice as blank as her face.

The man then turned to Xerath. "And who is this? Are you Master Ganzo, coming to tell us Syndra has finished her training?" He asked.

Xerath shook his head. "I am not Ganzo." He said, pulling back his hood to reveal his stone container and the blue energies that made up his head. "I am Xerath, ancient mage of Shurima and the Magus Ascendant." He said.

The man was confused as he looked from one face to the other. "But... Where is Ganzo then? He was suppose to be training-" He was cut off when a woman, about as old as he, maybe younger, appeared.

"Here you two are. Green tea and Ionian rice cakes-" She then noticed who the female was. She nearly dropped her serving tray, but a quick thought saved it. She sat down the tray, not bothering to pass out the refreshments, and threw her arms around Syndra. "Synny! Oh my little Synny has returned home!" She said, tearing up more than her husband.

Syndra began to lift her arms to return the hug, but stopped a third of the way. Instead, she placed her hands on her mother's shoulders and gently forced her away. She stared into the eyes of her mother, a look that made the older woman cease her tears of joy. "Ganzo is dead."

Her mother covered her mouth as she backed away. Her father's face paled significantly.

The man swallowed, looking at his daughter. "Dead? But... how? Who could have killed him? Why would someone kill him?" He stammered, suddenly unable to comprehend reality.

Syndra's voice was emotionless. "I killed him." She said.

Her parents stared at her, their eyes full of disbelief. "But... why?" Her mother asked.

"Because he lied to me." She said.

Syndra's eyes turned hard, anger fueling the glow behind them. "Same as you two! All of you lied to me!" She said, her voice on the verge of yelling, but she kept it from that.

Her father held up a hand. "No. We would never-" He was cut off.

"You told me Ganzo would train me! Teach me to be a powerful sorceress!" She said. Suddenly, the rage within her died out, replaced by sorrow. "All three of you, even the elders, said I would become a great sorceress. That I would be able to make all of Ionia proud. I believed in those words... I believed in everyone who told me..."

Syndra's eyes began to well with tears. A sad smile came to her face as the tears began. "Was I that foolish, that naive, to trust everyone?" She said, her voice beginning to crack.

She closed her eyes, though it did not stop the tears, and tilted her head upward, taking in a deep breath. After letting it out slowly, she began to wipe the tears away from her eyes with the aid of her robe's sleeve. "I realize, now, that I was." She said.

When she finished, Syndra rose, towering over her sitting parents in more ways than one, and turned her back. "I'll be outside, waiting, Teacher." She spoke with her back to them.

Xerath nodded. "I will be out shortly." He said.

With that, she began to leave, opening and closing the door. Not once did she look back.

Her father's face turned red as he shot daggers at Xerath. "What have you done to her!?" He demanded, his hands balled into fists.

Calmly, Xerath looked at the man, then shook his head. "I've done nothing to her, unlike you." He said, his words sharper than any blade.

"You did it, didn't you? You killed Ganzo!" He accused.

Again, the magus shook his head. "My hands are stained with blood, but not a drop of it is Ionain blood." He informed. He looked up at the man and woman. "As her parents, Syndra's behavior is the cause the two of you, your elders, and this Ganzo. If anything, I am trying to undo the damage caused to her." He added.

Neither appeared to believe him, but it was the mother who spoke. "We did nothing to her! Please, release her from whatever spell you have over her!" She began, her voice breaking from the tears. "Please... Return our little Synny to us." She sobbed.

Xerath looked the woman in her watery eyes for a long moment. He titled his head slightly so he could be facing both of them. "You two abandoned your child, left her with an old man who said he would lie and restrain her from becoming what she is destined to be." He said.

"And what would that be? What destiny could she have as a murderer?" Her father said, taking his wife in a comforting hug.

"The Dark Sovereign of Ionia, of course." The magus replied. Both looked at him in horror and confusion. He did not even have to ask to be able to tell they had questions. "Do not be so surprised. There's little else she could become." He began. "Her parents lied to her; her village elders lied to her; an idol of hers lied to her; and, above all else, everyone she trusted betrayed her trust." He paused and turned to look at the door, where Syndra had left through.

Still staring at the door, he continued. "She was a little girl, at one point, with dreams and ambitions of becoming a great and powerful sorceress, one that would make her parents and village proud. If I am correct, she left to train with this Ganzo about the same time as a battle broke out against Noxus. When one's home is in danger, that makes for good motivation to push oneself to their limit, eager to protect their home. Even children are warriors, swinging twigs at enemies, in pretend." He finished, his tone sad and experienced. He knew from experience what he was talking about.

"But, she isn't that kind of person." Her mother stated.

Xerath locked the woman in his gaze. "Your little Synny is gone!" He said, causing them both to gasp. His expression turned soft, sad even. "She ran away, unable to live with those she could no longer trust. The Syndra outside, my student in magic, is your child, only older." He said, then shook his head before looking back to the door. "This is your last chance to see your child. After today, I will not take her here again. Returning, will be her decision alone." He added.

When the magus rose, he gave a slight bow. Before he could get to the door, he heard the woman call to him. "Wait!" He turned around. "Please ask her to come back inside. I know she may not want to, but, please, ask her." She pleaded.

He nodded, then opened the door. "Syndra. They have words for you." He said.

She turned an angry, heated glare to him. She was about to say something, to voice her complaint and refuse to do so, but then she saw something inside the house.

"Mommy. Daddy. What's going on?" Came the voice of a small child.


	7. Chapter 7: A Present of Conflict

_Chapter Seven: A Present of Conflict_

"Mommy. Daddy. What's going on?" Came the voice of a small child. All four sets of eyes turned to the source of the voice.

It was a little boy who couldn't have been older than six or seven years. He was dressed in a light blue kimono, wore a pair of sandals, and his hair was a mess. It looked like he had just woken up from bed. He had a dark shade of blue in his eyes, his hair was dark brown, and a few freckles dotted his left chin. There was a bruise under his right eye, like he had been in a fight recently.

Rebekah began to rise, but was stopped when Syndra grabbed her right arm in her left hand. She met her mother's worried eyes with an emotionless face, silently requesting her to stand down. The woman swallowed, but eased down anyway, more out of fear than anything. Syndra then looked to the child. "Good afternoon, young man. My friend and I are scholars from the Institution of War, or the League of Legends, whichever you prefer." She said sweetly and with a smile no less. The smile quietly faded when she noticed the mark under the boy's eye. "What happened to you dear?" She asked, frowning.

The boy looked at his parents, his mind trying to determine if these two were friendly, and then, when they did not say anything, he looked to the woman and smiled. "It's nothing, really. Some of my classmates in school said my older sister was an embarrassment to my family, and was worse than the Order of the Shadow." He said before shrugging his shoulder. His smile grew a little. "So I asked the one who said it to take that back or else. When he didn't, I hit him." He said.

Syndra gasped, moving her hands over her mouth in surprise. She was faking it, but it looked real. "Goodness! That must have gotten you into trouble." She exclaimed.

The boy crossed his arms over his chest, proud to tell the story. "That was after the fight. I would have won if the teachers hadn't shown up. Now I am suspended for the next few days." He said.

Syndra removed her hands from her mouth, taking a deep breath before speaking. She was proud of her younger brother, but could not say it. "I know a bit of magic. Would you like me to heal that mark of yours?" She asked, lifting her hand in a gesture.

He shook his head. "No thanks. I'll let it heal on its own." He said.

She shook her head as she rose. "Nonsense, you have a handsome face, and that mark does nothing but ruin it." She said as she approached. She bent down, her hand going to his cheek, but paused when he backed away. She tilted her head and smiled at him. "A bruise is no mark of honor, child, and scars are for men and warriors. Besides, how will you ever get a girlfriend with that bruise ruining your smile? And what if she wants to kiss your cheek?" She asked.

The boy turned his head and blushed, making her giggle slightly. "Fine, go ahead." He huffed, turning the right side of his face to her. He still looked at her out the corner of his eye.

As Syndra placed her hand on the boy's face, she heard the gasps of her parents, and then Xerath's voice. "About the questions we have come to ask. We were sent to find out where the Noxian troops are stationed and if they have employed the use of deadly magic or concoctions. If it is chemical or magical warfare, then we are prepared to offer aid and resources." He said, drawing part of their attention.

The two adults had their attention half to the child and half to Xerath. "Of course, if needed, I am able to do something about any Noxian outposts if an exchange is needed for your information." He said. He then lifted his hand, a small bolt of lightning appearing, and held it in place.

Both of them turned their attention fully to him. The husband was the one to speak. "I can tell what I've heard..." He began. Neither knew what to expect from these two, but neither wanted to risk harm to themselves, their village, or their son.

Syndra carefully wove some magic into the boy's injured face, mending the wound as best she could. Though it was not her preferred use of her powers, Ganzo had been insistent of her learning more supportive magic. "Would you mind telling me your name?" She asked.

The boy thought for a moment, and then spoke. "Timothy, but call me Tim. You?" He asked.

"My, aren't you a brave you." She said with a smile. Tim shrugged. "I am Elain. It is very nice to meet you Timmy." She said. He was about to say something, but paused when she merely smiled away his coming comment and continued. "Could you tell me about your sister? She must be a good sister for you to get into a fight over." She said.

Tim turned away before she finished, a sad look coming to his eyes. The bruise had shrunk considerably, but it was still a noticeable wound. "I've never met her." He muttered. He looked to her, and, seeing that she was interested, continued. "She's been with an old mage for years, since before I was born. I've heard she is a powerful sorceress though." He said, a little bit of joy coming back into his eyes.

Syndra nodded. "Have you not been able to visit her?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No. Mom and Dad say the old mage doesn't want visitors; that he only trains a single student at a time and any outside interference will only distract his students. I can't even send her letters." He said sadly.

She stood and patted his head, ruffled his hair, and smiled down at him. "I'm sure your sister is a fine student and blossoming into a fine sorceress. One day, I am sure you will meet your sister. Actually, did you know you have a spark of magic?" She asked.

Tim took a step back, surprised. "Wh- what? I'm a mage?" He asked.

"Sorcerer, actually, mages are different." She said, looking to the side in pretend thought. She did, however, look back at him out the corner of her. His eyes twinkled with wonder. "Yes. If you were a mage, someone would have noticed by now, but sorcerers are not nearly as common, so more difficult to find. You should come into your own magic within the year, as old as you are." She added.

If he had been pretending to be interested, he was no longer. What she saw now was genuine interest. "Really? What kind of magic will I be able to do? Do you know?" He asked, nearly jumping up and down.

A hand on his shoulder prevented such a thing. "Settled down. I said you will, not you are. I am sure you'll find a good teacher some day and become a great sorcerer, and then no one will say you cannot see your sister." She said with an honest smile.

He smiled proudly at that, showing a large, white toothed grin. He was certainly pleased to hear that. "Thanks." He said.

Syndra put her hand back over his wounded cheek. "Now, hold still so I can finish." She said. This time, he smiled as he stood still, letting her work. When she finished, she removed her hand and took a step back to get the whole picture of him. "You're a very handsome young man Tim. I know you'll grow into a great sorcerer and meet your sister one day." She said.

When Tim closed his eyes to smile his biggest grin, Syndra placed her hand over his eyes and took a deep breath. She caught him as he fell to the ground, and then carried him over to her mother. She met the woman's startled eyes with a calm yet sad smile. "He's only asleep, don't worry." She said. She then turned to Xerath. "I am ready to leave, Teacher."

Nodding, he rose. "Are you sure?" He asked. When she nodded, he started to the door. "I'll be waiting outside when you are ready." He added, floating toward the door and moving out of the house.

Syndra rose when he left and began to follow. Halfway there, she paused and turned back to her family. She first looked at her little brother, and then to her parents. "Be honest with him, and do not betray to him... as you did with me." She said, turning around to head for the door. "Good bye... Mother, Father, and Timmy." She added, closing the door behind herself.

Outside, she turned and smiled at Xerath. "We should be going. Zed and his warriors should be allowed to retire." She said.

Xerath, knowing there was no longer a need for his robe, ignited it with a small burst of magic, the ashes sprinkling around in a circle below him. "About time to be rid of that damn thing. I was beginning to forget how to move my prison." He said, the stone parts of his body moving back into place. It was a strange sight for the onlookers, but he cared little for the opinions of people he'd not see again.

Before he could begin to move away, Syndra grabbed him by his arm. He turned to see her, tears filling her eyes. "Thank you. For making me come here and put my past to rest." She said.

The two of them stood there for several moments, and then he moved his other arm over her shoulders, taking her into a comforting embrace as she lost it. He just stood there, letting her silently weep on his shoulder, her tears evaporating in a puff of mist when they hit his magical body.

After about three minutes, she sniffed, her tears halting. She wiped away her tears with the aid of her robe's sleeves. "Let's go." She said, starting on the way ahead of him.

"We'll have to deal with the Kinkou on our way to your fortress." He said.

"I know." She responded, removing her robe and beginning to fold it. She wore her usual Ionian outfit, only the head piece was missing and her skirt was a few inches smaller. She placed folded bundle inside a washing tub as they left the little village.

"It'll probably escalate into a large fight." He informed.

"I know." She repeated.

"You'll have to help me fight them should we be unable to get past them." He inquired.

"I know." She repeated. Her tone had not changed.

He was silent as he followed her, making her curious as to his silence. A glance revealed his head was turned at a 180 degree angle, watching the trees above them. "What are you staring at?" She asked.

Xerath did not say anything, his gaze still on the trees. She let him slide, at least for now, but if he did not answer in a few minutes, she would ask again.

Finally, unable to stand it any longer, she stopped, causing him to bump into her. He didn't even turn around. "What are you staring at?" She asked again.

Finally, he did speak, but did not turn around to face her. "Those ninjas have been shadowing us for some time now." He answered.

She looked where he was, curious, but could not see anything. "How many are there? And how long have you known they were there? More so, why did you not say anything?" She asked, slightly annoyed.

His hand came up, pointing. There was movement in the trees where he pointed. "There were three, but now there are two. I believe they've been following us since an hour before we game to that battle ground." He said. He cupped his hands over his mouth, making it seem that he was trying to amplify his voice, but such an act would do nothing as he could adjust it any time. "Hey! Ninjas! What happened to the third one!? The short one!?" He called out.

Syndra narrowed her eyes, trying to see what it was he could. Suddenly, there was movement in the lower vegetation. The trees also moved, two shadows moving in between the branches and away from them.

"I think we should be going. I've got a bad feeling about this." She said.

Before she could begin moving, Xerath's head darted to the side, his arm immediately pointing toward the jungle. Without warning, he unleashed a bolt of lightning that tore through two trees and a bush. The lightning did not ignite a fire, but it did cause the two trees he had to fall over. "Your bad feeling was too late." He said.

As though on cue, a ball of magic was thrown directly at the two of them. Xerath caught it, but cried out in pain as his half his arm was blown off, the stone falling to the ground. "Nice catch… abomination." Came a voice from the brush. Both Syndra and Xerath turned to the speaker as he emerged from the brush, pushing the branches of bushes and saplings away.

Xerath let out an agitated breath when he saw who it was. "Must we do this now? I am sure we can take care of this another day. Say tomorrow?" He offered.

The mage shook his head. "No, we cannot. This time, you've gone too far." He said.

The magus looked at his broken arm, then the stones on the ground. In a matter of moments, strings of lightning shot out of his arm, connecting to the stones on the ground, and then tightened before his arm was made whole again. As he flexed his rebuilt arm, he spoke. "Ryze, I know we do not always see eye-to-eye, often times we see can't even agree on colors, but, just this once, can we just agree on this one thing?" He requested.

Ryze shook his head again. "No, we cannot. Both the Kinkou and I know you and Syndra are working with the Order of the Shadow. I will not sit ideally by while you do as you please, not in this." He said. He brought up both his hands, setting them away from his chest, conjuring a spell of runes as the ones in his body began to glow. "Now, it's time you be put in your place." He added.

Xerath looked at the rogue mage with uncaring eyes. "You cannot kill me, Ryze, and you know this. I had to get Syndra here so she could speak to her parents and put her past aside to continue as my student." He said.

The rogue mage's eyes did not lose their fire. "You could have asked the Kinkou for their aid." He said; his spell nearing completion.

"No, I could not, not with the way they view her. If anything, they would have captured her and bound her powers, and even then would not have let her see her parents." He began. In an instant, he locked himself to the ground, tapping into the vast energies of the world only he could reach. Magic began to shoot off his body like he was a raging storm, forcing Syndra to take several steps away. "As a mage, I will not allow such a thing. If you were a mage, a true mage, you would see this as the only way to ensure she speak with her family. Your title in the League suits you, for you are a rogue mage!" He declared.

The two were silent, both with their own spells ready. And then, as thought to signal the battle, a leave fell between them, instantly being incinerated by the withheld magic.

As one, they both roared as they unleashed their own spells. Xerath threw his arms back, and then forward, a bolt of white and blue lightning cooking the air. His spell met Ryze's spiral of runes, a jumble of symbols and unknown words colliding with raw power. As their spells clashed, arcane magic trying to overcome primal magic, they were locked in a chaotic stalemate.

As the two mages fought for the upper hand, Syndra's attention was drawn to a shuriken that just grazed her neck. Had she not felt the slight tingle of magic within it, it would have slit her throat. Quickly, she summoned her orbs, putting them between her vitals and the trees.

Another shuriken hit her leg forcing her to the ground. She blocked a third aimed at her face with her arm, letting out a cry of pain as its blade hit bone, but it was enough to know where to aim.

She threw two of her five orbs in the direction the shuriken had come from, hitting something as it tried to evade. The form fell to the ground and quickly rose, zigzagging through the trees as it threw yet more shrunken at her. She managed to block most of them with her remaining orbs, but not all of them.

Syndra dropped to the ground on her knees, attempting to pull out the electrified shrunken, while at the same time watching for any more to be thrown her way. A sound caught her attention and she placed a tether on one of her orbs. Watching carefully, she threw it in front of the dashing figure.

Kennen, having had no way of seeing her prepare to go on the offensive from behind the trees, stumbled from the shocking wave of the orb hitting the ground. He managed to get his footing, but not quick enough as the same orb was drug across the ground right after him.

Sandwiched between a tree and the shadow orb, he took out a shuriken and tossed it at the tether line. The electrified weapon caused the orb to lose some of its force, allowing him to get away from it before the connection was strengthened once more.

The Kinkou drew two shrunken in each hand as he turned to Syndra, who had two orbs tethered to a hand each with three others circling her. She was bleeding from two wounds in her left arm, one in her right, one in her right knee, and a fifth in her left ankle. She could not stand, so she floated in place with magic. The two locked eyes.

"Returning was your final mistake. Surrender now and you will be allowed to live." Kennen warned, sparks trailing off his weapons.

Syndra's eyes turned hard. "What life is there if I am forever chained down? I will not be a slave to what I am because of what others fear I can do!" She announced, fire burning within her eyes and tone.

Kennen's eyes narrowed, the only part of his face visible. "Then you leave me with no choice. The balance must be preserved. I am sorry." He said.

With that, Syndra brought her brought her right arm back, preparing to attack. If she and Xerath were to get out of this land alive and unbound, she would need to defeat the Heart of the Tempest.

Now, not just because she did not want to be restrained, not just because she finally had a teacher who believed in her and would not restrain her, not just because she had confronted her parents and settled her past with them, but because now, more than ever, she knew she had a future to fight for. Ever since she had learned the truth under Ganzo, that she had been lied to and her powers bound because others feared she would become too strong to control by herself or others, she wanted to live.

If that meant she had to take a life, she would.

Only this time… it would not be through rage, but intentional to protect herself.

_Not only has Ryze, who I've gotten some people asking about, entered the fray, but even Kennen. Why the short one? Because neither Akali and Shen are not super fast according to their lore. Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed and be ready for the next action-packed chapter._


	8. Chapter 8: A Future of Change

_Here it is, after so long of not being able to finish and being unable to, I am finally finished! Enjoy._

_Chapter Eight: A Future of Change_

Sparks of magic and artificial lightning brought the forest into rapid life as two battles waged within. Every so often, the battles were moved, though not very far. If the battles were to stray, others could either be harmed or more could join the fights. For two of the four, the latter would mean almost certain death.

On one side, Xerath and Ryze battled it out, matching spell against spell as they unleashed their power. Xerath, rooted to the ground so he could tap into the magic of the land, could not move from his spot other than to turn around and bend. His spells, however, were for offense and defense, throwing out bolts of lightning and deflecting spells that were not his own. Ryze, on the other hand, kept on the move, dodging and casting spells. As aggressive as his fighting style was, the rogue mage focused more on overcharged spells to disrupt his opponent.

Ryze could not kill Xerath, but disrupting him meant he could not fight for a time. If that happened…

Syndra and Kennen fought their own battle. As the yordle ran around, jumping from tree to tree, he was always throwing out his shrunken, aiming for his enemy's vitals and nerves. While fatal force was authorized, it would be better to take her in alive. Given that option, it was proving to be more difficult.

Syndra, armed with her orbs and what magic she had learned from Xerath, used her powers to block the shrunken and attack with tethered orbs. After the first time, her foe was far more careful. If she could just land another hit, then it would all be over and she could help her teacher. Thankfully, they were in fairly opened territory, allowing for movement and sight.

(Xerath's fight)

"Might I ask why, exactly, you have decided to align yourself with the Kinkou?" Xerath yelled his question, a break in the battle arising to allow him to speak while he looked for his enemy.

Ryze's voice came from his left, but an attack assaulted him from the right. As he was hammered from the fluxing rune spells, several of which caused his form to shutter and nearly collapsed his form, he was only just able to make out the rogue's words. "Because I am tired of you doing as you see fit like you are better than everyone else! You've even taken on a student as unpredictable as yourself!" He stated. Another spell came at him, but Xerath blocked it with his bare hand. "Why have you even chosen such a student? Are you trying to free yourself by sacrificing her, or do you intend to make her an abomination such as you?" He demanded, his spells turning red to match his rage.

Defending himself, the magus tried to think of a way to go about attacking. It would be better if they were in the open, where he could unleash pulsating waves of magic without fear of starting a forest fire. The rogue's accusations, however, had struck a nerve.

Xerath ceased his defense, allowing the few stray spells remaining to hit him. They did little stagger him, but that did not mean they were ineffective. Each spell that hit broke his form little by little. When it all stopped, the magus faced the rogue, his form disrupted and bits of magic sparkling off. His body had holes in it, from where the magic had been assaulted, but he retained his basic form. "Do you really think that, Ryze? Do you honestly think I am such a terrible being?" He asked, the sorrow in his static voice clear.

"I do, and more." Ryze said. He came into view then, facing the weakened magus face-to-face. "I believe you to be an abomination of a mage who would destroy all in his way for his own, personal perspective of 'good'." He said with a tone full of malice.

Xerath stared mage before him, as though trying to see something within the blue skinned creature before him. Finally, he dropped his head, looking to the ground, and shook his head. "You disappoint me Ryze. All this time, after showing you respect all this time, I am done." His head came up. His eyes, once a bright light, began to shine with a blaze unlike anything else. "You have earned you title of Rogue Mage in more ways than one. You are no longer a mage in my eyes, but a beast of magic. All I am doing is helping a fellow practitioner of magic along her chosen path of magic!" Whips of white hot, magic lightning lashed where he stood to bury themselves into the ground, furthering to lock him down. "You say I am an abomination of a mage! I say you are a failure as a mage and an assassin of those who seek to empower themselves!"

The magus, his eyes narrowing, cast a look at the Rogue Mage that made him step back. "You have come here with the intention for suppressing me and killing my student, even insulting me. May the gods in the next life have mercy on you… you will find none with me."

Before Ryze could move, a chain of magic spouted from the ground, wrapping around his leg and keeping him in place. When he looked back up at his foe, he immediately ducked, barely avoiding a bolt of magic-laced lightning aimed at his head. When the sound of danger left, he looked up find Xerath standing over him.

The magus reached down and lifted the rogue above the ground, the chain snapping when he did. Static from Xerath's still weakened body gathered in his hand in only a second and was unleashed in an instant. The rogue's body twitched and squirted as he was electrified, and then thrown away after just the brief contact. He grunted loudly as he collided with a tree. The earlier shock had numbed him to the pain, but it was the force alone that caused him to grunt.

"Since I first met you, I've thought of you as an equal, another mage who shared a least some portion of similarity with me. NO MORE! I will no longer hold myself back whenever you initiate one of these childish battles! Should I kill you, so be it! Should I cripple you, so be it! I've chosen my path as a mage, as have you! As mages, masters of my own abilities, arcane or primal or otherwise, we have an obligation to those struggling down their own paths! To forsake such an obligation, and then to threaten an initiate under the wing of a master, one cannot hold their head up high and call themself a mage!

"Ryze!" Xerath called out, his tone ringing with anger not at his foe's choice of alliance and allies, but at his choice of interference to Syndra's training. "I made an oath to myself and to my student, Syndra, that I would teach her to understand, enhance, and, though these, control her powers. I demand to hear your reasoning to suppress her or kill her!" He roared.

Ryze struggled to his feet, but was unable to due to the effects of the surge of magic his body had been subjected to. Instead, he was only able to raise himself up onto his knees. "You cannot be allowed to ascend her. Power such as hers would quickly destroy her mind, leaving only an immortal embodiment of magic to crush all those she sees as an enemy." He swept his hand out to indicate the surroundings before bringing back to the ground to help support his body. "All Ionia would be destroyed, and then how knows what else. That is why I agreed to help stop the threat now!" He said, some of the fire back in his voice.

That fire was quickly smothered as Xerath loomed over him, a being of pure arcane energy whose stone body prevented him from tapping into his true strengths. Rather than answer, he turned to look at Syndra as she fought Kennen before looking back at Ryze. "Why do you think she is still human?" He asked.

The blue-skinned rogue glared at him as he answered. "Because you cannot perform the ritual needed to ascend her." It sounded more like a guess than a sure answer.

The magus shook his head. "I can perform the ritual at any time, at any location, and on any mage. I know what is required, and Syndra would, in her current state and experience, survive. However, as you said, her mind would be destroyed by her own powers and she would become near to a god among us." He spoke, and then turned to watch his student and the yordle battle on. "I am no abomination, but I am close enough to one to know what to do should be done to prevent creating one." He let out a sigh, watching the other two fight. "I will not teach her the ritual; I've made that clear to her and the League and Institution. All I wish to do is teach her." He said.

Ryze, still panting and in pain, turned his head to watch as well. "And your choice of going about it?" He asked.

Xerath held out his hand, offering to help Ryze up. He accepted the hand after several seconds of hesitation, but Xerath did not let go right away. "The Kinkou would never agree to let her reenter Ionia without first binding her powers and having a guard watch her. The Order of the Shadow, however, would do no such thing. Speaking of which, what have they been doing?" He asked, curious. He had spoken with Zed and asked only that his group distract the Kinkou so he and Syndra could slip in unnoticed. How that happened, he left up the ninja, but asked that the violence be kept to a minimum.

The rogue let out an angry breath before answering. "They have been attacking the Kinkou. I was there, speaking with the elders of personal matters when the attack began. After they were beaten back an hour ago, Kennen managed to capture one of them. When he said you and Syndra were here, and that she was a threat, I offered to help." He explained.

So that was why Ryze was here, but surely Kennen is not the only Kinkou trying to subdue Syndra. "I only planned to sneak into her village with her, have her confront her parents, and see what she would do from there." The magus explained, leaving out a large portion of it. Finally, he released the rogue's hand.

Ryze crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his back to the tree. "Why would you want her to do something like that? More importantly, why would it matter if or not she confronted her parents? It seems that you brought up a touchy subject, to me." He said.

Knowingly, Xerath nodded. "Yes, but it was hard for both of us." Out the corner of his eye, he saw the rogue's head turned to him. He turned to face the rogue. "We are both powerful, yet derive our powers from different sources. Only two things we had in common: We both desired power and hated to have others limit what we can do and become, and we both have pasts we cannot escape." He said.

Ryze raised an eyebrow. "Had? What do you mean?" He asked.

That was the question Xerath had expected from a fellow mage. He held up his left arm, showing him the stone that bound him. "I am not perfect. Centuries from now, I will still be imperfect. Why? Because I am haunted by the pasts of my past." He said. His eyes took on a distant look, seeing things only he could see. "As I drifted, amazed at what I had done and the power literally at my fingertips, I began to wonder if it was worth it. I've seen the disasters caused by my ritual, saw the looks of horror in the eyes of those who had survived or lost loved ones to me, and seen what I had wrought to the land. In my agony of despair, I was attacked by my colleagues and bound to a prison of stone. It was during this captivity that I began to reflect on my actions. Truth be told, I could have been out of that damn thing in a matter of decades, but I could never bring myself to do it.

"Decades soon turned to centuries, and I was unaware. With every spell, I remembered the looks on the faces of those whose lives I had ruined, all the while never knowing they were long dead. I spent my whole life studying the arcane arts to one day look into the core of the universe and find the secrets of all magic, all to help my fellow mages. In so doing, I had become an abomination." He said, his voice trailing off.

There was a long silence, Ryze watching the magus before him in a whole light. Not only had he been going easy on him, despite the names and accusations, but he had also looked down on him with pity. Finally, he spoke. "What made you finally decide to break the lock and be free?" He asked.

The magus ascendant, his body that of pure arcane magic confined in stone, his true power locked away with only a fraction of it slipping out, shrugged his shoulders. "I came to realize that living in self-pity was betrayal of myself and my reasons for causing so much harm. I could not simply crawl under a rock and die, I was trapped in a stone tomb for weeks, I had thought. And so, I finally decided to break the seal." He turned to Ryze, the front of his head making what one could call a smile. "I now search for a way to get out of this prison to fulfill those dreams and teach other magi, as well as keep them from over committing to their cause like I once did." He said.

Ryze, for the first time the two had spoken together, smiled. "Good luck with that, but I still believe you to be an abomination; just not the kind I originally thought." He admitted.

Xerath rolled his shoulders, finally fixing his body. He looked back to Syndra and Kennen.

(Syndra's fight)

Despite the recently revived emotions running through her, Syndra was having no trouble keeping her thoughts focused on what needed to be done. Despite her eyes not being able to keep up with the zigzagging yordle, she maintained control over her powers and used them to great success. Despite knowledge that her very life hung in the balance of whether or not she could defeat this quick footed foe, she was having fun.

Even if she could not follow his movements, she was able to learn his strategy of evasion and attack. While she kept changes her style, alternating between aggressive attacking, counterattacking, and lashing out in what appeared to be anger, she kept the yordle from becoming able to take a clean shot. She had no formal training for Kennen to guess at, no clear technique other than her use of her orbs, and no need to really move out of the opening. If anything, she was at her most comfortable with her enemy knowing where she was.

The most unnerving thing about fighting her was that she did not try to reason with Kennen, nor did he try to speak to her. She had made her decision and nothing short of death would change her mind. If he did not win soon, or at least distract her long enough for his fellow ninja of the Kinkou to arrive, he would lose and be at her mercy. His legs hurt from running and jumping, and his arms ached from having thrown so many shrunken. It was only a matter of time.

A quick glance to the side and he saw that Xerath and Ryze were both watching. WATCHING! Wasn't Ryze supposed to disrupt, or whatever it was, Xerath and then help him capture Syndra? Now the two of them were merely watching the fight like it was a League match, even talking to one another like they were friends!

Kennen ran behind a tree to catch his breath, as well as to calm himself. Maybe Ryze had lost and Xerath threatened to kill him unless he stayed out of his way? That was the only possible answer. That meant he was without his backup until more of the Kinkou arrived. Silently, he cursed himself for being so fast. If he was slower, then he could have arrived with a team of other ninja and this would be over. Instead, he took off immediately with Ryze, telling the others to catch up.

Before he could completely stop his panting, the wood behind him was torn apart by the force of Syndra's orb. As he ran forward along the branch, he turned his head to see that portion of tree, as well as the above portion, fall to the ground. Looking down, he saw Syndra glaring up at him before she sent up her orbs to block his escape. She was being aggressive again, something he did not want to have to deal with now.

Kennen suddenly found himself falling to the ground; the branch he had been on was broken off from the tree by her attack. He paused, crouched, and then lunged to the ground. Quickly turning around, he began throwing shrunken as he retreated. While he was not aiming, he was acting on instinct and keeping her from advancing toward him.

Suddenly, she stopped moving. He paused, a shrunken in each hand as he watched her carefully. All he could hear was the hammering of his heart in his ears. His muscles were tense, ridged, and almost painful as he watched her.

Then, she smiled… and the world went black.

Syndra smiled impishly at the yordle through a sheet of swirling darkness. He could see her lips moving, but could not hear any of her words. He wondered if she had killed him and this was what death was like, but it did not hurt at all.

She turned her head, he turning his, and saw Xerath and Ryze approaching. They were speaking to each other.

"Is he alright?" Ryze asked, staring at Kennen inside the dark orb. He dared not touch it; the sorceress's magic an unknown element to him. If he tried to free the yordle that could very well endanger his life.

Syndra, the smile never leaving her features, hummed to herself in thought for a moment. "He should be alright, unless I leave him in there for too long. I'm surprised he fit in there actually." She admitted.

Kennen was trapped inside one of Syndra's orbs. He was unharmed, but the only fresh air came from the tether connected to her hand. By the way she moved it, she could toss him about if she desired. Thankfully, she did not, which saved the poor Heart of the Tempest from panicking.

"Do what you will with him, but be aware that we must be leaving soon." Xerath informed her as he walked past. "And Ryze, I meant what I said earlier: The next time you decide to attack me, I will not kill you, but I will do everything short of that. If I cripple or paralyze you for life, so be it." He added.

The rogue mage did not appear concerned, but he did turn to Syndra. "Keep in mind that killing a League Champion can have serious complications. Think this through." He warned, and then turned to leave.

Syndra stood and watched, making sure he was leaving. She turned to see Xerath leaving as well. In a few seconds, she and the trapped Kennen were left alone. She turned to the yordle, her smile turning into a wicked grin that made the little ninja back away as far as he could from her, which was not very much. "Why don't we have a little fun?" She said, drawing the orb closer to her.

Days later, Syndra stood where she had a week before. As before, most of the Ionia champions were present to give their votes whether or not to allow her to be a champion. While the sorceress stood tall and proud, awaiting the beginning of her judgment, the two of the three Kinkou ninjas who were not present at Ionia stared at their comrade with concern.

"Kennen, what happened to you?" Akali questioned, turning his head to look at the wound. "I heard the Order of the Shadow attacked our Order, but I did not think any of our brothers and sisters were harmed." She said.

The reports had come to her and Shen just this morning. Both of them were surprised when they read them, and then asked for Kennen for the first hand details when they found him. For some reason, the Institution of War had requested they stay for diplomatic reasons with the Kinkou.

_(Please note, while Shen did expression emotional concern, he did ask the questions one would associate with surprise. Speech, body language, eyes, and even internal reactions were not expressed, but he was still surprised in his own way.)_

Kennen showed little emotion, only a little more than Shen was showing, as Akali examined his face. When she released him to get the first aid kit, he spoke. "I dropped my guard." Was all he said.

While he was not badly injured, Kennen did have a black eye from where Syndra had hit him. He was surprised with the force she could muster and exert. A warning, she had called it, and then gave him his shiner. Even if it was three days ago, it still hurt and had not improved at all.

He winced as Akali applied the medical alcohol, put a patch over his eye, and finally relaxed when she finished. "Thank you." He said. It was clear that he did not want to go into detail about the battle or his injury.

Shen tapped his shoulder, gaining his attention. "Did you find out why they attacked us?" He asked. This was the man who had killed his father and childhood rival. As little emotion as he showed, it was evident the topic of Zed brought out some emotions, though not enough to be easily noticed except for those who knew him or those watching him.

Kennen shook his head. "I do not know the full details. We managed to capture one of them, and he said they were only testing us." He said. It was true, but he did not say it was a distraction. Silently, he was thankful Syndra had only given him a black eye. She could have crushed him within that orb of hers, but she instead lowered it, grabbed him by his throat, and punched him to the ground once. After that, she had left him to regain his senses.

He had been trying to kill her, most shrunken were aimed at main arteries and vitals. Yet all she had done was smacking him to the ground, shout some kind of threat, and then ran off to rejoin her teacher.

Still, that was not what mattered most, as the judgment was about to begin, and so the three of them returned to their stations to listen to Syndra's least speech. Xerath, Soraka, Karma, Zed, Varus, Yi, and the three Kinkou were present. Irelia, her brother, and Ahri were also present, but they were only there to break a tie, should there somehow be one. One thing was sure, the vote would not be same as last time.

_Finally finished. While I can understand that this may not be what everyone hoped it would be, complications arose that were beyond my control. A storm, power outages, the road being blocked off by debris and city workers, playing catch up with school, and then the waiting for all the cables to be fixed. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys and there is one last chapter to be written._


	9. Chapter 9: The Reign Begins

_Here it is, the final chapter in my fanfiction of Xerath and Syndra. I did not want to include a real reflection, but give one of my favorite champions his first cameo; also, there is already a really great Syndra reflection out there. Anyway, enjoy.  
_

**_Chapter__ 9: The Reign Begins_**

As the room began to fade into darkness, the voice of Summoner Madred came to her ears as a disembodied voice. "Syndra, you're first Judgment was made invalid due to… disagreements between the Institution of War and the Champions representing Ionia. As such, this is your second and final chance to prove yourself to the Summoners and your comrades from Ionia." His voice called out.

The word "comrades" was almost enough to make her gag. She was shocked to hear that he would think such a thing considering how they had turned her away the first time. True, he was not the summoner that judged her last; he still should have read the reports and have known.

Recomposing herself, she responded. "Thank you for this second chance." She said as she bowed politely in the direction she remembered seeing the man. Her eyes lifted up slightly, a devilish smile on her lips. "I will not disappoint." She promised; sincerely.

After a few seconds, light returned to the world in a sudden flash. She was back in her fortress, but it was… different.

Instead of empty halls, there were creatures of magic patrolling in groups of two to four. They were a dark shade, like her orbs, floated off the ground, and did not have faces. It was as if they were conjured to be sentries and nothing more.

After a group passed close to her, she realized she felt heavier. She glanced down at herself, and then her eyes widened. She wore a different outfit, though not much different than her common one. It appeared to be some kind of armor, with runes and metal pieces decorating it. At the right side of her waist was a whip, its handle sticking out for easy access.

Slowly, she moved her hands to her head, and then found that her headdress was mostly the same; a few gems or jewels were new but it was mostly the same.

A sharp sound brought her to attention, and then a furious cry as the dark creatures began to move swiftly. They were heading somewhere, and that sound was an alarm.

She followed the closest group, forgetting for a moment that she could float, and ran a few feet before her feet lifted from the ground. They were fast, but she was able to keep up with them as they moved. Still, the sound went off, followed by the cries of the creatures and something outside. She did not know what it was, but, somehow, she knew it demanded her attention.

When she finally came to one of four entrances to her fortress, she froze as the dark creatures charged forward. She was in a city, the building and streets alive with battle. There were soldiers fighting off the dark creatures, but they put up little resistance. For every soldier, there were three creatures, and it did not appear they tired or bled.

"For Noxus!" A familiar battle cry made her turn to the source. It was Darius, the Hand of Noxus, leading a large battalion of, who she had heard, were Crimson Elites, Noxian hand-picked, elite soldiers. He wore battle armor, the kind he only wore for real battles against impossible odds, but she doubted that would protect him.

Behind him, whirling wicked, crescent axes like chakras, Draven stood, his eyes scanning the scene, picking out targets. Behind him were men with other axes, ready to resupply him should he be unable to re-acquire his weapons. Even axe hit, but they only staggered the creatures.

A final familiar face was Swain, the leader of Noxus and its Master Tactician. Unlike his subordinate, he led a smaller group, but she knew them to be magical. His spells did more than weapons, but not much more as the creatures began to realize the threat and assault the group.

The offensive quickly turned to defensive, and it was being pushed back.

"Sovereign!" Came a voice from behind. Syndra turned and met the eyes of LeBlanc, the Deceiver. There was no fire in those eyes; only terror. One of the creatures held her hands behind her back; she was a prisoner. "You promised you would not attack Noxus if I helped you! You swore!" She cried out. Her face was bruised and stained with tears.

Syndra heard herself speak without intending to, but her voice was different, older. "I am not attacking Noxus. I am claiming it." She heard herself say, her tone cold.

She turned back to the battle before her. She noticed that, whenever one of the creatures died, it changed into a human in a robe, a robe much like that she had seen the summoners wearing. The rest of the battle, however, was being won by the creatures as they decimated the Noxian defenders.

"Please…" LeBlanc sobbed from behind her. "Please just spare them." She pleaded.

Syndra turned her head to the defeated sorceress. "My emissary never returned to me after I sent him to demand their surrender. I can only assume he is being held captive, and Swain has chosen to fight." She said, her cold tone returned.

The woman turned her head from the carnage, but Syndra did not stop there. "I'll admit that Demacia would not have fallen so easily without your help, but, then again, Jarvan surrendered before I arrived. Noxus, under the command of Swain, however, did not. If it pleases you, think of it as revenge for the war against Ionia. It makes me feel better." She said.

As the battle went on, the creatures began to capture men and women of rank. Darius, Draven, Swain, and others were brought before Syndra. She picked out Urgot, and ordered he execute the two brothers and remove Swain's right arm. He refused, at first, so she resorted to magic. Tethers appeared from her fingers and attached to the reanimated executioner, making him a living puppet of hers. With this, she carried out the deed, removing the brothers' heads and Swain's arm.

LeBlanc appeared calmer, seeing that Swain was not killed, but horrified, as were the rest of the Noxian soldiers and citizens, to see the two brothers put to death so easily and by one of their own, even if controlled.

After, she ordered Swain and LeBlanc bound, watched, and taken to the holding cell, she did not know she had one in her fortress, and then she herself began to walk the streets with the creatures.

"Quite a future, isn't it?" An unknown voice shocked her, forcing her back a step as the world seemed to melt away.

Syndra looked around frantically, not knowing what was going on. This was nothing like her previous reflection. "Who is there? What happened to Madred?" She called out.

There was a laugh, the voice old, and then the voice came again. "Oh, it's just an old man, haunted by his past… present, and future." He said. She heard ticking, like that of old clocks. "My name is Zilean, and I am known as the Chronomancer. It is a pleasure to meet you." The voice said.

She froze, and then slowly turned her head to the left. There, several feet from her, was an old man sitting at a desk. He was working on a clock while others floated around him. Some moved at regular times, others at quickened times, and the rest backwards. He looked up when she looked at him and smiled the way a grandfather might. "What I just showed you was the future I had foreseen weeks ago and told the League. I am sorry, but I did not think they would tell the summoners and finally the other Champions." He said, and then laughed. "I see the past, present, and future, but I've not control over them. If I did, only those three high summoners would know of that future." He added.

This old man was a chronomancer? A time mage, as it were? She couldn't believe it. "Then, that was what I would be? And what I would do?" She asked. He nodded, and then went back to working on his clock. "But, what about the famous assassins of Noxus? Like Katarina and Talon?" She asked.

He didn't look up from his work as he spoke. "You had them killed by Nocturne, along with others, all in the course of a single night." He paused and tapped the screwdriver in his hand to the desk in thought. "Katarina, Cassiopeia, Talon, nearly all of the assassins." He added.

"Nocturne?" She asked. She was unfamiliar with the champions, but she guessed the names were other champions.

"The living nightmare, yes. That's why you take down the Institution of War first. You conquer them, free Nocturne, have him act as your private assassin, and rip the magic from the summoners to turn them into those dark abominations." He paused from his work to look up at her. His smile, at first kind and warm, was not sad. "You nearly kill him too, for trying to kill you. He loses his left arm and the left side of his face is scarred. He may be a living nightmare, but you turn into more of a monster than he'll ever be." He said, and then went back to his work.

Syndra was dumb folded at what she was hearing and what she had seen. She attacks and conquers both Demancia and Noxus in the future? "What about Ionia?" She asked, frightened by the answer after she had spoken the question.

"Conquered by the Order of the Shadow after you help them wipe out the Kinkou." He shook his head. "Zed has your family killed immediately after you leave to prevent you from becoming weakened by them. Other than Xerath, he's your only ally." He said.

Xerath? What part does he have? "How is he my ally? I doubt he would follow me after I-"

"He's your adviser and teacher in the art of magic." Zilean interrupted.

Syndra stood in silence, watching the old man work. When he finished the clock, he shut the door behind it and picked out another one from under the desk. "Xerath leaves the League after you turned away from the League, about six or eight days ago, I believe. Fifteen years later, you and the Order of the Shadow attack Ionia, then you take your army to Demancia. Finally, Noxus falls and brings your twisted sense of balance to completion." He explained.

"My sense of balance?" She asked.

The old man nodded. "Yes. While you do not like much of what your elders and fellow Ionians say about balance, you develop your own form of it, with the Shadow of course. In short: You lead a tyranny of peace and stomp all those who wish to fight for anything." He said.

She was about to speak of how that was not so bad, but he cut her off. "And then, following your death, the Void breaks loose into a world dominated by peaceful people who do not know how to fight." He said. He waited a moment for that to sink into her head, and then continued. "They are pushed back, eventually, but the aftermath leaves civilization destroyed and without hope of returning to its former glory." He finished.

Syndra was speechless, but a few words came to mind. "What about Xerath?" She asked, more of a plea than a question.

"He is just one being, and one that does not care for others he considers weak or below him. He and Annie, an older Annie, are the ones who defeat the monsters of the Void, but not without the damage having been done." He responded.

She couldn't believe it, yet she had seen part of it. "How do I know what that was, that you showed me, was to be true? How do I know you are not lying to me?" She stammered, trying to keep herself calm at this point.

He smiled then, an honest, pleased smile that she understood. "I am lying to you." He said.

She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god." She said, sitting down on the ground.

"What I showed you and what I told you were lies. That future would have happened, but now it cannot." He said.

She looked up. "What?" She asked.

Zilean pushed his chair back and stood up, and then walked toward her. He extended his hand, and she took it, letting him help her up. He gestured and she followed him to the desk, where she sat down. "I saw that future, warned the summoners, and they warned others. Thankfully, I did advise the summoners on this matter and told them Xerath was the only hope for the future. So far so good, as I've not had the vision again." He stated cheerfully.

Syndra was more uneasy, if anything, about this new information. "How does what has happened in the last week changed what would have happened then?" She asked.

The old mage ran his fingers through his beard, clearly thinking over how much he wanted to tell her. She did not blame him for not wanting to tell her, seeing as others had overreacted to his previous vision. Still, she was in awe at this mage, who could see the flow of time, but also curious about him.

Finally, he spoke. "You changed Xerath, and he changed you." He began. "You, as his student, gave him the opportunity to feel human again, to remember the limitations of mortals and that he once was one. He, as your teacher, has taught you control, acceptance, and forgiveness." He said.

He paused and looked down at her, smiling in that grandfather way. "You've learned to control your magic and emotions, have accepted your past and moved past it, and have forgiven those who sought to destroy you because they did not understand you. Xerath, likewise, has regained his humanity, lost some of his superiority complex, and has become a mage among mages again." He said.

He let out a sigh. "Thank goodness too, as now I can talk to him without being belittled." He joked.

Syndra smiled, but her mind was still racing with thoughts. Speaking of which, one thought came to her. She snapped her head to him, her eyes wide, and stood. The action caused the old man to stumble backwards a step before he could regain his balance. "This is my reflection, isn't it?! Everyone knows about what could have happened and will still think I am a threat!" She said, panicking now.

Everything was not going so good for her, people were beginning to treat her like any other and she was beginning to trust others again. Now, with a few new to the audience, things could only go downhill from here. Even Zilean appeared surprised. Maybe he couldn't see everything he claimed to!

The chronomancer looked bewildered and confused. "A reflection? How? I slowed down time to talk to you. Everyone should appear frozen in the blinding light of your… oh, that's what you mean." He said, raking the fingers of his left hand through his beard again. "So I finally timed it at the exact moment, did I?" He said proudly.

She looked at him. Now it was her turn to be confused. "What does that mean?" She asked.

Zilean smiled. "My dear, it means they do not see you, and your reflection has been paused until I undo my spell." He shook his head in wonder. "Anyway, is there anything else I can help you with? I just wanted to apologize to you for causing this whole mess. Next time, I'll take my future telling to the champions in question instead of the summoners." He said, chuckling a little to himself.

Finally she smiled. Wait! What was that last part? "Do you mean…?" She began, hopeful.

He looked back to her, smiled, and approached before extending his hand out to her. "Let me be the first to congratulate you, Dark Sovereign, and welcome you to the League of Legends. I am sure we will all enjoy your company and experience in the League." He said, shaking her hand.

"How many mages are there in the League?" Syndra asked, watching her teacher cast spells.

Xerath, who appeared a little exhausted as his body shimmered, turned his head to her. "I do not know… Ryze?" He asked.

The rogue mage, reading a book under the shade, looked up. "Too many to name for sure. Maybe six or eight?" He guessed.

Syndra looked from one to the other before finally stopping on her teacher. "You did not tell me about Zilean having told you his vision of my future." She shot.

The magus staggered, his arcane bolt sparking out of existence. He straightened himself, resting as well, and began to draw on the magics around them to recover himself a little. "Zilean had a vision about you?" He asked, genuinely surprised.

She did not think he meant it. "He said that, had you not intervened the way you did, I would go on to conquer Ionia, Demancia, and Noxus with an army of magical abominations made from the bodies of summoners." She said.

Both Ryze and Xerath stared at her. It was then, by the looks in both their eyes, she could tell they were sincere in their surprise. "Neither of you two knew about that?" She asked. Both shook their heads. "I see…" She said. She began to drift back into her own thoughts.

Xerath's voice brought her attention partly back to the real world. "Did you know about that?" He asked.

Ryze shook his head, and then licked his finger and closed his book as he spoke. "I had no idea of that. Zilean and I do speak on occasion, but never about his ability to see through time. I sometimes forget he can, honestly." He admitted.

The magus, finished with his spells, straightened and turned to Syndra. "Everything is ready. Are the two of you ready?" He asked. Both Ryze and Syndra stood, and then said as one "Yes." He nodded and locked himself into place. "Let us begin." He announced.

Syndra summoned forth her orbs, one floating over in front of her and three revolving around her. Ryze began to chant, the runes on his body emitting a faint glow. Xerath released himself from his locked stand.

"The battle has begun." Announced the disembodied voice of the announcer.

With that, the magic barrier around them dissipated into nothingness, allowing them to move.

Syndra, taking her first "steps" into the Fields of Justice as a full-fledged League Champion, felt a surge of adrenaline course through her. It was time for her reign, as a champion and the Dark Sovereign of Ionia, to begin.

Zilean, the summoners, and other champions may have had some influence in her choices, but, from now on, she would make her own decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions. She was no longer the little girl anyone could bind and control. Now, she was a woman of great and devastating power to be wielded by her and her alone. While she was not the most powerful woman alive, she would one day command armies against the worst Noxus could throw at her.

Rather than capture the point, as she learned was the point of the Crystal Scar, she charged toward the enemy, knowing one of them was trying to capture it. Just before it could be captured, she interrupted it with a quick toss of her orb, following up with by summoning a second and pushing it toward her foe.

In a matter of seconds, she was on top of her enemy. Rather than attack, she bent down and lifted her foe from the ground, tossed him into the air, and then hugged him to her chest.

"Wh- What are you doing!" Kennen exclaimed, stunned by her sudden action. In a way, it was a longer stun than the orb nearly cracking his skull.

He tried to speak again, but she tossed him into the air once more, laughing as she did. "Isn't it obvious? I'm relishing in my freedom!" She said. This time, instead of catching him with her hands, she caught him in an orb just before he hit the ground, and then released him. She smiled down on him as he straightened, resuming his stance. "Now then, let's finish our fight from earlier." She said, her tone turning malicious and deadly.

The Heart of the Tempest shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and then crouched down, pulling a shuriken into each hand. His eyes narrowed, but she detected the hint of humor. "Do not think this will end the same as last time." He challenged.

Even if it was a custom match between the three Kinkou and Xerath, Ryze, and herself, Syndra knew this would be a fun and interesting match.

_Yes, I love the idea of Syndra toying with Kennen because the little guy needs some love. Everyone seems more interested in Akali and Shen, but what about the third member of the ninjas? Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed and sorry for any mistakes grammar, lore, personality, and... well, anything else._


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